Critical thinking, problem-solving and interpersonal skills like partnership and empathy are the skills required for the future labour force. The United Arab Emirates has taken huge steps to arm its young generation with the skillset needed to face future challenges and achieve the main objectives of its Vision 2021 and Centennial 2071. The present Fourth Industrial Revolution provides new job opportunities and unique skills that do not currently exist.
What Are The Promising Sectors To Focus On For Future Skills?
Many national strategies in the United Arab Emirates focus on specific aspects in which youths can develop future skills. One of them is the UIAE National Innovation Strategy that focuses on renewable energy, transport, education, health, technology, water and space.
The UAE hopes that science technology and innovation becomes the driving force for long-lasting socio-economic development. The UAE proposed 24 aspects of focus for science and technology-based innovation. These aspects constitute a mix of opportunities and challenges nationally and internationally.
The National Strategy for Advanced Innovation
This strategy focuses on :
- Transport
- Green power
- Exploration
- Future skills
- Quality of life
- Living and life
- Harnessing technology to serve mankind
It also seeks to develop thinking that promotes experimentation and taking carefully considered risks to accomplish the objectives of the UAE Centennial 2017.
This strategy aims to increase labour productivity and provide nation
The National Employment Strategy 2031
al human resources with the skillset needed for the job market by:
- Concentrating on attracting talent by modifying knowledge and cultural diversity
- Training on future skillset and skill development programmes
- Increasing the number of research and development personnel
- Promoting Entrepreneurship
- Promoting lifelong learning programmes
Special programmes for developing future skills
National Program for Artificial Intelligence
The government started the UAE National Program For Artificial Intelligence -BRAIN which defines and underlines various initiatives, partnerships, collaborations, partnerships and breakthroughs in the field of Al. These initiatives include:
- UAE Al Camp
The Al summer and spring camps programme concentrates on empowering high school subjects, university students and government executives to lead Al and convert it into a strategic power that supports the economy and boosts the UAE’s position internationally in all fields.
- First Bachelor Degree in Artificial Intelligence(Al)
The British University in Dubai started the first Bachelor Degree in Artificial Intelligence(Al) in the nation to educate the young generation to implement Al technologies across all walks of life. Omar Al Olama, Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, inaugurated the new specialisation provided as part of the computer science programme, which will teach undergraduates related sciences, cooling and programming.
- Training programme for government employees
The National Program for Artificial Intelligence launched an Al training programme for government employees valid for a year.
- The Emirates Youth Professional School ( EYPS) – a crowdsourcing model
In August 2019, the UAE Government launched the Emirates Youth Professional School(EYPS) which seeks to provide learners aged between 15 and 35 with vocational skills and career development opportunities to prepare them for the job market through continuous education. The school is based on a crowdsourcing model that combines practical and theoretical education
- Ibetekr platform
This platform was started by Mohammed Bin Rashid Centre for Government Innovation(MBRCGI). It is an interactive platform that seeks to develop the capabilities of the Arab world and to share the government innovation models of the UAE that did well. Ibetekr provides excellent online courses(MOOCs) for free for all Arabic Speakers and students are given accredited certificates from the MBRCGI.
- The National Program for Emiratisation
Also known as Tawteen, this programme seeks to qualify the national human resources according to the needs of the job market.
- Madrasa
Madrasa is an e-learning platform that provides 5,000 free videos translated into Arabic. These videos cover chemistry, physics, general science, biology and maths, This platform aims to develop a new generation of skilled Arab researchers, inventors, innovators and scientists who can build a knowledge-based society, The platform also aims to the foundations of methodology that is self-learnt as well as a traditional educational institution.
