Staff
The initiative strives to engage 6,000 learners from Arab countries, including the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Lebanon, Egypt, Iraq, Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia
Dubai, Nov 13, 2023: The Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Knowledge Foundation (MBRF) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) have opened the registrations for the FutureSkills4All initiative as part of the Knowledge Project. In collaboration with Coursera, the initiative was launched for recent graduates, entrepreneurs and job seekers seeking to enhance their skills.
The initiative leverages the concept of Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) to enhance participants’ skills, empowering them to create better employment opportunities and enhance their personal, digital, and functional skills. The aim is to equip individuals with the versatility needed to meet the evolving demands of the current and future job market. The initiative spans nine Arab countries: the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Iraq, Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia.
Launched in Sept 2023, the initiative strives to engage 6,000 learners from Arab countries, positioning them as leaders in the skills revolution. The long-term vision is to extend this transformative opportunity to one million learners in the coming years. To ensure that it reaches a wide segment of learners, programmes and courses are offered in Arabic, English and French. Additionally, the initiative provides exclusive access to training programmes curated by leading companies, including Google, Meta and IBM. Catering to a diverse audience, the programmes address the needs of various individuals, ranging from young enthusiasts such as recent graduates and job seekers to seasoned professionals navigating technological changes. This inclusive approach extends to those employed in companies active in technical education and training.
Jamal Bin Huwaireb, CEO of the MBRF says, “This initiative holds great significance as it provides training opportunities that enhance participants’ competitiveness and adaptability in a rapidly evolving world. This step is crucial at a time when the global job market is undergoing successive transformations, particularly with the unprecedented growth and development of artificial intelligence.”
“The initiative aims to equip the Arab region with the necessary skills to enhance professional prospects and seize opportunities in this dynamic landscape”, he adds.
The FutureSkills4All initiative presents diverse avenues encompassing personal skills, digital proficiency, career readiness, entrepreneurship and specialised training for specific job roles. A key advantage of this initiative lies in its commitment to fostering access to knowledge and inclusivity, transcending barriers of gender, personal abilities, or economic constraints. By offering knowledge and skills to qualified learners at no cost, the programme ensures the accessibility of knowledge for all.
The momentum of this initiative is driven by the prevalent gap in the Arab region between educational outcomes and job prospects, with nearly half of the workforce lacking the necessary skills for their roles.
Individuals can submit their applications at www.knowledge4all.org to be a part of the initiative. Additionally, enterprises and companies can nominate suitable candidates to join the programme through the same website.
