Zakaria Rashid Doleh expected finding work in the UAE to be straightforward. As an Emirati studying Business Management abroad, he had been assured that opportunities back home would be accessible and aligned with national priorities.
His reality proved different. For the young Emirati, applications disappeared into silence, feedback never came, and no platform existed specifically for Emirati talent despite the national focus on Emiratisation.
“I was using multiple platforms, sending out applications, but there was very little visibility on what was happening,” Doleh told Khaleej Times. “No feedback, no clear direction, and no real sense of progress.”
Through conversations with peers, he discovered the issue extended far beyond his own experience. Many Emiratis faced the same fragmented process, applying without responses and uncertain where to find relevant opportunities.
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“That’s when it shifted from a personal frustration to a much wider problem,” he said.
The insight became the foundation of Dawlati, an AI-powered platform he co-founded with his father, Rashid Doleh, to connect verified Emirati talent with aligned job opportunities. The father-son partnership combined a generational perspective with three decades of business experience.
“The hardest part was building trust on both sides,” Doleh said. “Convincing employers to adopt a new system while ensuring there were enough meaningful opportunities for Emiratis to engage.”
In 150 days since launch, Dawlati has attracted over 12,000 verified Emirati professionals, generated thousands of AI-driven matches daily, and facilitated hundreds of placements across UAE industries.
The platform verifies users through UAE PASS and uses intelligent matching to give employers ranked candidate access while providing job seekers visibility into previously hidden roles. One employer struggling to meet year-end Emiratisation targets hired eight Emiratis and extended eleven offers within a month through the platform.
An early moment at the Tawdheef x Zaheb Career Fair in Abu Dhabi confirmed the model’s potential. A user downloaded the application on day one and returned the next day already in the interview stages.
“Going from ideation to really making an impact on someone’s career was always the intention,” Doleh said. “To see it firsthand was a full circle moment.”
The platform distinguishes itself by building specifically for Emiratisation rather than adapting global hiring tools. Every profile undergoes verification, and interactions centre on measurable outcomes and long-term career growth rather than simple placement.
“Modern technology has transformed many industries, but it hasn’t yet been fully applied to the core of Emiratisation,” Doleh said. “We’re building the infrastructure that brings clarity, speed, and accountability to what has been a fragmented process.”
For Doleh, the experience has reshaped his view of the UAE labour market. The opportunities exist, as does strong intent from the government and private sector. The challenge lies in connection rather than availability.
“The opportunities are there,” he said. “The challenge has never been a lack of opportunity or talent, but how effectively we connect people to it.”
Dawlati now focuses on scaling impact through advanced AI-driven matching, deeper workforce insights for employers, and expanded industry access. The goal extends beyond immediate hiring to support long-term career progression for future Emirati leadership.
His advice to young Emiratis navigating the system remains direct.
“Don’t take silence or rejection as a reflection of your value. Often, it’s just a reflection of a system that isn’t fully optimised yet, and that’s exactly what we’re working to change.”
Source: Khaleej Times