When I was a child, there were some things in life that were certain, such as the fact that I would go to university, pursue a degree and then end up working in my field of study for most of my adult life.
When I grew up, however, I learnt that the only certain thing in life is change, and if I did not adapt, then I would certainly fall behind.
If you are like me, then you probably heard time and again that children will grow up to work in fields that do not exist yet.
Browsing through Twitter and reading about the changes sweeping through the technology sector at an unprecedented rate is proof that if we do not equip young pupils for a future powered by artificial intelligence, they will lag in the job market.
While it may take time for schools to adapt curriculums to these changes, the summer is a great time to develop children’s digital and leadership skills.
So, this brings us to the question: How can we prepare teenagers for an AI-powered future?
Creativity will be a core skill for teenagers and children to thrive in future economies, especially as AI is set to take over a number of jobs.
Organisations will prefer to work with individuals who think outside the box and can come up with creative solutions in a way that AI cannot.
One way we could instil the importance of creativity in teenagers is by encouraging them to explore new horizons.
The summer could be utilised to introduce them to new genres of work, new journals, make them watch educational programmes that will broaden their perspectives and sign them up for events to learn about different products and changes taking place in the world.
With the future being affected by technological advancements, teenagers need to understand the lingo to be able to navigate the future.
Learning coding and taking introductory courses in machine learning and AI will prove to be hugely beneficial.
A number of courses are being offered online for free or at low costs. There are also some YouTube videos where experts discuss the changes taking place, as well as share updates about the latest applications.
With so much information available about AI, what I found particularly helpful was signing up to newsletters by AI experts. That helped me receive the latest updates on my phone and save time.
Although equipping teenagers with the necessary skills to enhance their creativity is essential, we need to ensure that they also develop their communication and leadership skills.
A downside of using social media as a main form of communication is that it has negatively affected the way teenagers communicate.
Thus, it is important to provide them with necessary communication and leadership skills that would help them to negotiate, influence, inspire and, most importantly, lead.
Although we cannot exactly predict how our future economy would look like, what we can control is to prepare teenagers with the skills that will help them thrive, and not depend solely on what is being taught in schools.
Manar Al Hinai is an award-winning Emirati writer and communications adviser based in Abu Dhabi
Nancy 9 (Hassa Beek)
Nancy Ajram
(In2Musica)
House-hunting
Top 10 locations for inquiries from US house hunters, according to Rightmove
- Edinburgh, Scotland
- Westminster, London
- Camden, London
- Glasgow, Scotland
- Islington, London
- Kensington and Chelsea, London
- Highlands, Scotland
- Argyll and Bute, Scotland
- Fife, Scotland
- Tower Hamlets, London
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The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre V8 twin-turbocharged and three electric motors
Power: Combined output 920hp
Torque: 730Nm at 4,000-7,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch automatic
Fuel consumption: 11.2L/100km
On sale: Now, deliveries expected later in 2025
Price: expected to start at Dh1,432,000
The specs
Price, base / as tested Dh135,000
Engine 1.6L turbo
Gearbox Six speed automatic with manual and sports mode
Power 165hp @ 6,000rpm
Torque 240Nm @ 1,400rpm 0-100kph: 9.2 seconds
Top speed 420 kph (governed)
Fuel economy, combined 35.2L / 100km (est)
The specs
AT4 Ultimate, as tested
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Power: 420hp
Torque: 623Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)
On sale: Now
Our legal columnist
Name: Yousef Al Bahar
Advocate at Al Bahar & Associate Advocates and Legal Consultants, established in 1994
Education: Mr Al Bahar was born in 1979 and graduated in 2008 from the Judicial Institute. He took after his father, who was one of the first Emirati lawyers
Company%20Profile
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What the law says
Micro-retirement is not a recognised concept or employment status under Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (as amended) (UAE Labour Law). As such, it reflects a voluntary work-life balance practice, rather than a recognised legal employment category, according to Dilini Loku, senior associate for law firm Gateley Middle East.
“Some companies may offer formal sabbatical policies or career break programmes; however, beyond such arrangements, there is no automatic right or statutory entitlement to extended breaks,” she explains.
“Any leave taken beyond statutory entitlements, such as annual leave, is typically regarded as unpaid leave in accordance with Article 33 of the UAE Labour Law. While employees may legally take unpaid leave, such requests are subject to the employer’s discretion and require approval.”
If an employee resigns to pursue micro-retirement, the employment contract is terminated, and the employer is under no legal obligation to rehire the employee in the future unless specific contractual agreements are in place (such as return-to-work arrangements), which are generally uncommon, Ms Loku adds.
History's medical milestones
1799 - First small pox vaccine administered
1846 - First public demonstration of anaesthesia in surgery
1861 - Louis Pasteur published his germ theory which proved that bacteria caused diseases
1895 - Discovery of x-rays
1923 - Heart valve surgery performed successfully for first time
1928 - Alexander Fleming discovers penicillin
1953 - Structure of DNA discovered
1952 - First organ transplant - a kidney - takes place
1954 - Clinical trials of birth control pill
1979 - MRI, or magnetic resonance imaging, scanned used to diagnose illness and injury.
1998 - The first adult live-donor liver transplant is carried out
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
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- 600-seat auditorium
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Bio
Born in Dibba, Sharjah in 1972.
He is the eldest among 11 brothers and sisters.
He was educated in Sharjah schools and is a graduate of UAE University in Al Ain.
He has written poetry for 30 years and has had work published in local newspapers.
He likes all kinds of adventure movies that relate to his work.
His dream is a safe and preserved environment for all humankind.
His favourite book is The Quran, and 'Maze of Innovation and Creativity', written by his brother.
The%20specs
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