The Abu Dhabi School of Government (ADSG), the pioneering government platform for developing human capital in Abu Dhabi, and the Abu Dhabi Youth Council, held a virtual graduation ceremony for the second cohort of the ‘Abu Dhabi Next Generation’ program today.
The ceremony commemorated 216 graduates, consisting of Abu Dhabi residents and citizens, for their success, hard work and determination throughout the duration of the program.
Developed by the ADSG and the Abu Dhabi Youth Council, in collaboration with global e-learning platform Udacity, the ‘Abu Dhabi Next Generation’ program seeks to further develop youths’ technical skills and enhance their ability to become future leaders, while also strengthening the Emirate’s Youth Skills Platform.
The program focuses on upskilling young citizens and residents in Abu Dhabi, aged 18-35, by granting them the opportunity to obtain Nano-degrees and certification in Business Analytics and Digital Marketing. This year, 62 participants gained certification in Digital Marketing, 108 gained degrees in Business Analysis, 44 in AI programming using Python, and two in Web and App Development.
By providing participants with opportunities to develop themselves in these fields and to explore other domains and interests, the ‘Abu Dhabi Next Generation’ program encourages the younger generation to pursue the concept of sustainable and continued learning, enabling them to quickly adapt to industry changes and to excel in their careers.
H.E. Mohammed Gheyath Mohammed, Acting Director-General of the ADSG, said: “We are glad to witness this graduation of this batch of participants who showed the highest levels of perseverance, commitment, and diligence during the past few months. We are proud of their success in passing the program and of the progress they achieved during it, and we wish them success in their future careers.”
His Excellency added: “The ADSG is determined to continue its great work in offering programs that have been developed according to the best international practices and are designed to meet the needs of the job market, which will advance and further the skills of Abu Dhabi’s young talents. We believe that these passionate young talents will bolster the standing of Abu Dhabi and the UAE, play a leading role in supporting the efforts for promoting innovation and digitalisation in the country, as well as realize the Emirate’s vision of building a sustainable economy that is open to the world and globally competitive.”
H.E. SumayaAbdulAzizAlHosani, Dean of ADSG, said: “We are proud to witness the success of the ‘Abu Dhabi Next Generation’ program’s second cohort. Their diligence and passion for learning, as well as their commitment to honing and developing their skills in these vital sectors truly deserve our recognition. Congratulations to you all.”
Her Excellency added: “Abu Dhabi is rich in young talents who are eager to build their skills, increase their employability and contribute to the sustainable development of the UAE. As part of our initiatives to build the skills of these future leaders and change-makers, ADSG has always worked to strengthen its partnerships with the top experts, establishments, companies, and leaders in the world – enabling us to design and create captivating programs.
Initiatives such as the ‘Abu Dhabi Next Generation’ program are vital to their development, as it elevates skills of Abu Dhabi’s youth and provides them with practical experience and exposure by working on projects evaluated by local and global experts, resulting in a world-class learning experience.”
86% of the participants were UAE citizens, along with 14% of them being residents from other countries. 84% of the participants have higher education degrees, with 64% having Bachelor’s degrees and 20% having Master’s degrees.
The second cohort of Abu Dhabi Next Generation saw more than 600 registration applications, as well as the submission of nearly 1,900 technical graduation projects as part of the technical nano degrees certification. These projects explored the domains of digital marketing, front-end web development, business analysis, and AI programming using Python.
