By Ms. Komal Jajoo, Managing Partner & CEO, Hayford

For most professionals, learning used to be something you dealt with when you had to. A renewal deadline. A regulatory reminder. A requirement you completed and moved on from.

That mindset worked for a long time in the UAE. It doesn’t anymore.

Somewhere over the last few years, expectations shifted. Not dramatically, and not overnight—but clearly. Professionals today are expected to be current, not just experienced. Informed, not just well-intentioned. And increasingly, accountable for what they do and do not know.

Working closely with professionals across industries, I’ve seen how small gaps in knowledge now carry far greater consequences than they once did.

The UAE Is No Longer an “Experience-Only” Market

The UAE has always attracted experienced professionals from around the world. Experience still matters—but today, experience alone is not enough.

The country has matured into a highly regulated, globally connected economy. Businesses are expected to operate with transparency, structure, and consistency. Regulators expect professionals to understand not just what the rules are, but why they exist and how they should be applied responsibly.

In this environment, relying on qualifications earned years ago—or on learning “on the job” without structured updates, creates risk. For the professional, for the employer, and for the system as a whole.

Professional education fills that gap. It ensures that experience is supported by current knowledge and regulatory awareness.

Regulation Has Changed How Professionals Are Judged

One of the most important changes I’ve observed is how professionals are evaluated today.

In the past, mistakes were often attributed to system gaps or unclear rules. Today, accountability is more direct. Professionals are expected to stay informed, to interpret regulations correctly, and to apply them consistently.

With the introduction of VAT, Corporate Tax, enhanced AML frameworks, and ongoing regulatory updates, the cost of misunderstanding regulations has increased significantly. What used to be a learning curve has become a compliance risk.

This is where professional education becomes strategic rather than reactive. It allows professionals to keep pace with change instead of scrambling to catch up after something goes wrong.

Professional Education Is About Judgment, Not Memorization

There is a common misconception that professional education is about memorizing rules. In reality, its real value lies elsewhere.

Good professional education develops judgment.

It helps professionals understand context, assess risk, and make informed decisions in situations that are rarely black and white. Regulations often leave room for interpretation, and it is that space where competence truly matters.

In my experience, professionals who invest in ongoing learning are more confident in their decisions. They ask better questions, identify issues earlier, and navigate complexity with far more clarity than those who rely solely on past knowledge.

CPD Is Often Misunderstood—and Undervalued

Let’s be honest—most professionals don’t feel particularly excited about CPD. It has developed a reputation for being something you complete quickly, record somewhere, and then forget about.

But CPD, when done properly, plays a much deeper role.

It is a signal of professional responsibility. It shows commitment to staying relevant, accurate, and ethical. For employers, it reduces operational risk. For regulators, it strengthens trust. For professionals themselves, it provides reassurance that they are equipped to meet current expectations.

In the UAE, where regulatory frameworks continue to evolve, CPD is no longer optional background activity. It is part of professional credibility.

Organizations Are Rethinking Learning as a Strategic Function

Another noticeable shift is happening at the organizational level.

Businesses are beginning to understand that professional education is not just an HR initiative—it is a governance tool. Well-trained teams make fewer errors, handle audits more confidently, and respond to regulatory changes more effectively.

As a result, learning is increasingly tied to risk management, compliance strategy, and long-term sustainability. Organizations that embed professional education into their operations are better prepared for change and less exposed to regulatory surprises.

This shift reflects a broader understanding that learning supports stability, not just growth.

The UAE’s Long-Term Vision Requires Capable Professionals

The UAE’s economic vision is ambitious. It emphasizes sustainability, global integration, and high standards of governance. Achieving this vision depends on the capability of the professionals operating within the system.

Professional education supports this by ensuring that individuals across industries understand their responsibilities and operate with confidence and clarity. It aligns individual competence with national objectives.

In this sense, professional education is not just about personal advancement. It contributes to the overall strength and resilience of the business environment.

Why Quality in Professional Education Matters More Than Ever

As demand for professional education grows, quality becomes critical.

Not all training adds value. Real professional education should be practical, current, and grounded in regulatory realities. It should respect the time and intelligence of professionals, and it should focus on application—not just theory.

At Hayford, we see education as a responsibility. Our role is not simply to deliver content, but to help professionals understand what matters, why it matters, and how to apply it correctly in their work.

This focus on quality is what turns education into a strategic asset rather than a checkbox exercise.

Continuous Learning as a Competitive Advantage

Professionals who commit to ongoing education tend to stand out—not because they know everything, but because they are prepared to adapt.

They are more comfortable with change, more aware of emerging expectations, and better positioned to take on responsibility. In a market like the UAE, where standards continue to rise, this adaptability is a clear advantage.

From what I’ve seen, the most respected professionals are not those who finished learning early, but those who never assumed they were done.

A Necessary Shift in Mindset

The shift toward professional education as a strategic necessity is not something that will happen in the future. It is already happening.

The professionals who appear most confident today are not the ones who claim to know everything. They are the ones who keep learning quietly, ask better questions, and update themselves before they are forced to.

In the UAE’s evolving professional landscape, learning is no longer about staying ahead. It is about staying responsible. And increasingly, responsibility is what defines credibility.

About the Author

Ms. Komal Jajoo is the Managing Partner & CEO of Hayford, a UAE-based professional training institute specializing in CPD, compliance, and regulatory education. She works closely with professionals and organizations to support continuous learning, regulatory clarity, and long-term professional confidence.