The autumn edition of the biannual Gulf Education and Training Exhibition (Getex) will host more than 600 exhibitors offering more than 50,000 study plans from across 40 countries or more.
This leading education event in the UAE focuses on key occupational and vocational career opportunities for students and professionals looking for new and emerging career paths.
"Expenditure on education remains a top priority among different governments in the UAE as well as in the rest of the GCC," says Anselm Godinho, Managing Director of International Conferences and Exhibitions (ICE), organisers of Getex.
"We expect this trend to continue because of the urgent need to collectively develop citizens into a highly qualified and competent workforce. The long-term development plans of the UAE and other countries in the GCC will never prosper unless its citizens are adequately trained and educated. In this regard, we expect investments in education and training to continue to grow in the next several years."
Over the years Getex has committed itself to encouraging and nurturing high-level interaction and the exchange of information that benefits the education sector and helps ensure that the education system in the UAE and across the Gulf is in line with international quality standards and best practices. It addresses school students, undergraduates, postgraduates, corporate and professional trainees and occupational education students.
This year, the exhibition will focus primarily on vocational training, which Godinho believes is of paramount importance for the nation's development: "For a young nation, developing the occupational trade sector is the key to sustained growth. We are actively partnering with organisations like the National Institute for Vocational Education (NIVE) to provide alternate career options, which are now coming to the forefront and will benefit the nation immensely," says Godinho.
Alternative training
Getex will turn the spotlight on the benefits of alternative training and educational options in the vocation sector that includes careers in technical training, jewellery making, hospitality, IT, nursing, teacher training, art and design.
The event expects more than 35,000 visitors comprising students, parents, professionals and faculty from various leading schools and universities. Several of the top UAE-based universities will attend, including the American and Canadian universities, New York Film Academy Abu Dhabi, Swiss Education Council, ICAEW and the Higher Colleges of Technology.
Focus for 2012
Next April's edition of Getex will go back to an academic theme, focusing on professional and higher education options such engineering, medicine, business, and law among others. "April is when the academic year ends for most schools, therefore we will predominantly focus on the academic and professional courses; however, we will also continue to feature vocational and occupational themes within the event," says Godinho.
Getex will address investors within the education sector, who are increasingly considering residential and boarding schools as a prime area of investment and development. The event will focus on this sector and showcase the latest business opportunities and developments in this space.
After a steady decline in the number and quality of prospective students, boarding schools have responded in the past 30 years with a flurry of initiatives such as coeducation, major increases in day student population, a push for economic and racial diversity, the recruitment of international students, and an astonishing proliferation of academic and extracurricular programmes designed to appeal to the various desires of the marketplace.
The show evolves
Getex intends on growing beyond its event platform to include a thriving student and teacher community to foster ongoing communication and discussion platforms.
"Over the years Getex has built a considerable community of education experts, counsellors, and advisory groups that are invaluable to the education sector, especially to the students and teachers. We intend to promote the community outreach programme in a big way starting next year," says Godinho.
The community programme will focus on student counselling, life choice advisory, work experience mentoring, as well as online tutoring forums and address each group as each community grows organically.
For more details on Getex, visit www.mygetex.com
