18 UAE graduates rewarded with cars for excellence

Abu Dhabi saw the graduation of over 6,700 students from the Higher Colleges of Technology (HCT) on Thursday, marking the largest cohort in its history. The ceremony, held at Etihad Arena, celebrated the progress made by the institution over four decades. Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Tolerance and Coexistence, attended the event. Among the distinguished graduates, 14 achieved a perfect 4.0 GPA, while over 12% of graduates finished with a cumulative GPA of 3.5 or higher.

AW Rostamani Group, the ceremony's principal partner, rewarded 18 distinguished graduates with cars in recognition of their academic excellence. Dubai Islamic Bank, Emirates Transport, Lockton, Arabian Company, and the Colleges' wider network of partners also contributed cars. Graduates like Asma Abdulhameed Al Beshr, a pharmacy technician diploma graduate, found immediate employment and returned to HCT for a bachelor's degree in actuarial science.

Salem Obaid Al Zaabi, a mechatronics engineering technology graduate, led a team that built and flight-tested an autonomous unmanned aircraft and participated in a training programme in Canada.

Parents celebrated their children's achievements, with Dr. Ahmed Hussain Al Zarooni praising his daughter's first-place win in the "HCT Skills" competition. Ahmed Mohsen Al Shadadi expressed joy at his son's success and readiness to embark on a new stage in his life. Graduate employment figures indicate an 88% average annual employment rate over the past five years, with 72% of graduates securing private-sector roles.

The event highlighted HCT's commitment to preparing students for diverse career opportunities across various sectors.