‘Next Gen Abu Dhabi’ begins first nanodegrees in future skills

ABU DHABI / Emirates Business

The Abu Dhabi School of Government (ADSG), a Department of Government Support entity, and the Abu Dhabi Youth Council has on Saturday launched the first “Next Generation Abu Dhabi” program, in partnership with Udacity, a global leader in the field of online learning.
The new programs will be part of the “Youth Skills Platform”, which first launched on February, 2020, during the Innovation Month of the UAE, with the aim of building the skills required for Abu Dhabi’s youth to embrace the age of digital transformation.
In the initial roll-out, the program has partnered with Udacity to provide the nanodegrees, which are certified courses requiring less than 4 months of study, to provide learners with the latest technological content, knowledge and practical skills. Over 270 learners were selected as the first cohort of the business analytics and digital marketing nanodegree program. This follows a rigorous assessment stage of over 2,000 candidates. The first cohort started the learning programs on Saturday and will continue their journey over the next four months.
The program has been designed to empower young locals and residents of Abu Dhabi in core technical skills, enabling them to make progress within a similar field of relevance to the future economy.
Her Excellency Alia Abdulla Al Mazrouei, Acting Director General of Abu Dhabi School of Government, said: “We are continuing our roll-out of new education programs and the young people of Abu Dhabi will be some of the first to gain
the benefits of working with Udacity on our new business analytics and digital marketing course.
“These courses will be foundational and practical, as well as highly relevant to several digital transformation projects that are underway in many emerging industries. The courses have been designed to be relevant to the future of skills requirements of the nation and we want to ensure that our young people are prepared for the many challenges that they will face in the future business environment. The nanodegrees will be an essential part of our educational offer and we believe they can make a real difference to the future economy in the emirate.”
Maryam Al-Mehyas, Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Youth Council, said: “Launching nanodegrees through the Udacity platform comes as a result of continuous cooperation with ADSG, through which we aspire to provide the latest technology and knowledge to support the needs of the market and help deliver the strategy of the Abu Dhabi government. The “Youth Skills Platform” is focused on providing the most advanced courses, in partnership with the best educational institutions, to equip the next generation with the relevant skills and meet the requirements of the nation.”
The project was originally developed in partnership with over 200 experts in the field of technology including Google, Facebook, Amazon, and other leading international technology giants. It will provide opportunities for hands-on learning by working on projects that will be evaluated and graded by Udacity’s learning experts.
The program targets young local people and residents between the ages of 18 and 35, who are residing in Abu Dhabi. The program requires a commitment to delivering projects on deadline and some remote hours study.
Additional programmes will be announced on the platform in coming months on both the ADSG and Abu Dhabi Youth Council website. The programs will be continuously developed and improved based on the experiences of the participants and relevant parties.