Two professional training institutes will come up in Abu Dhabi emirate by September 2008.

The Abu Dhabi Education Council (Adec) said the institutes will be based in Al-Ain and Madinat Zayed.

Over 70 per cent of the courses will focus on specific occupations.

'A vocational education sector will enable interested students to undertake specialised training as demanded by the market, as well as supply the industrial sector with key workers,' said Mubarak Saeed Al Shamsi, director general of Adec.

The Al Ain vocational training institute will offer 16 core programmes, ranging from medical programmes to multi-media and real estate.

The institute will offer specialised workshops and laboratory experiences, as well as classroom tuition.

The Madinat Zayed institute will house its first 200 students in a temporary building until the permanent facility is completed.

'Vocational education and training are key factors in the economic growth of developed nations,' Al Shamsi said.