Young people must continue to update their skills to keep pace with the evolving demands of the workplace, a UAE education expert has said.
Dr Sonia Ben Jaafar, chief executive of Abdulla Al Ghurair Foundation for Education, a privately-funded philanthropic organisation, said it was crucial not to stand still and instead continue on a learning journey.
She delivered the message as World Youth Skills Day was marked on Friday, a United Nations-designated event established in 2014 to raise awareness of the need to ensure the next generation is equipped with the tools to succeed.
Dr Ben Jaafar cited estimates that the “half life” of skills was now just four years. This means that every four years, a person’s skills become half as valuable to employers because the needs of industry change, putting a premium on retraining.
Major challenge to reskill global workforce
“We have one billion people that need to be reskilled by 2030. We have 85 million jobs that could be displaced by shifts in the division of labour. There’s all of these big numbers,” Dr Ben Jaafar said.
Issues are particularly acute in the Middle East and North Africa (Mena) region because of the larger than average number of young people, with about 60 per cent of the region’s population under 30.
“It’s not necessarily just about a gap now, it’s about the growing gap,” she said. “We have a mismatch between the skills demand and the local talent pool, and unless we are very specific about how we help skill and reskill, that will continue to grow.”
Universities have key role to play
Progress in giving young people skills has been made in the region, said Dr Ben Jaafar, particularly in the GCC, through the growth in the number and quality of universities, more of which now perform well in global league tables.
“Now we’re in a position in the UAE where we’re seeing very high quality universities from all over the world attracting people to study here,” she said, adding that the country had also developed a thriving start-up culture of entrepreneurship.
But it is essential that the skills people are learning at university are of the kind needed by employers, according to Dr Ben Jaafar.
“The notion that we can keep graduating young people with credentials that don’t lead to employment is a wealthy person’s privilege, and the vast majority of Arab youth do not have the luxury of education for education’s sake,” she said.
“They are relying on their family for continued financial support.”
The foundation, Dr Ben Jaafar said, acted as a bridge between sectors, such as government, education and the private sector, to help ensure that young people developed industry-relevant skills. It could, for example, fill particular skill gaps that a young graduate may feel he or she has.
Part of this is achieved through short courses or, as she described them, “nano” degrees, which are proving popular with young people who, regardless of whether they go to university or not, may not have the training needed for cutting-edge jobs.
Thousands of Emiratis aim to boost career prospects
The foundation and Zayed University announced this week that, two years on from launching a partnership, more than 2,500 Emiratis had enrolled in online programmes to better equip them for the workplace.
One programme that the foundation offers, and which Zayed University students are now able to enrol in, is TechUp, which aims to improve digital literacy skills.
It is part of the foundation’s efforts to provide what Dr Ben Jaafar described as “market-driven foundational courses and nano degrees”.
In some cases, the majority of young people who have enrolled on the foundation’s courses have been unemployed, so just by signing up they have improved their chances of securing work.
“They’re going to find their way into industry a lot faster because we’re building that bridge and so this is really exciting for the young people who are getting this digital skill they need now,” Dr Ben Jaafar said.
“Wherever you are as a young person, you have an opportunity to find a pathway, to gain full employment or entrepreneurship, but you have to do your job. We’re going to help you find your way.”
Investing in youth
Dr Ayesha Al Dhaheri, associate provost for student affairs at UAE University (UAEU) said young people were being given a platform to thrive in the Emirates.
“In the UAE, young people are most of the population. Our wise government has placed them at the centre of national strategic plans and programmes, giving them direct roles so that they are active in initiatives that form their future,” she said.
“It has given them many opportunities for education and vocational and technical training in all domains, so they are better able to execute their future orientated roles”.
UAE's top universities — in pictures
Tearful appearance
Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday.
Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow.
She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.
A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.
BMW M5 specs
Engine: 4.4-litre twin-turbo V-8 petrol enging with additional electric motor
Power: 727hp
Torque: 1,000Nm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 10.6L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh650,000
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
Dubai World Cup factbox
Most wins by a trainer: Godolphin’s Saeed bin Suroor(9)
Most wins by a jockey: Jerry Bailey(4)
Most wins by an owner: Godolphin(9)
Most wins by a horse: Godolphin’s Thunder Snow(2)
Specs
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Power: 218hp (Cooper and Aceman), 313hp (Countryman)
Torque: 330Nm (Cooper and Aceman), 494Nm (Countryman)
On sale: Now
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Profile
Company: Justmop.com
Date started: December 2015
Founders: Kerem Kuyucu and Cagatay Ozcan
Sector: Technology and home services
Based: Jumeirah Lake Towers, Dubai
Size: 55 employees and 100,000 cleaning requests a month
Funding: The company’s investors include Collective Spark, Faith Capital Holding, Oak Capital, VentureFriends, and 500 Startups.
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League quarter-final second leg:
Juventus 1 Ajax 2
Ajax advance 3-2 on aggregate
The specs
BMW M8 Competition Coupe
Engine 4.4-litre twin-turbo V8
Power 625hp at 6,000rpm
Torque 750Nm from 1,800-5,800rpm
Gearbox Eight-speed paddleshift auto
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Key facilities
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
How to wear a kandura
Dos
- Wear the right fabric for the right season and occasion
- Always ask for the dress code if you don’t know
- Wear a white kandura, white ghutra / shemagh (headwear) and black shoes for work
- Wear 100 per cent cotton under the kandura as most fabrics are polyester
Don’ts
- Wear hamdania for work, always wear a ghutra and agal
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RESULTS
Tottenham 1
Jan Vertonghen 13'
Norwich 1
Josip Drmic 78'
2-3 on penalties
Paatal Lok season two
Directors: Avinash Arun, Prosit Roy
Stars: Jaideep Ahlawat, Ishwak Singh, Lc Sekhose, Merenla Imsong
Rating: 4.5/5
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Defending champions
World Series: South Africa
Women’s World Series: Australia
Gulf Men’s League: Dubai Exiles
Gulf Men’s Social: Mediclinic Barrelhouse Warriors
Gulf Vets: Jebel Ali Dragons Veterans
Gulf Women: Dubai Sports City Eagles
Gulf Under 19: British School Al Khubairat
Gulf Under 19 Girls: Dubai Exiles
UAE National Schools: Al Safa School
International Invitational: Speranza 22
International Vets: Joining Jack
'THE WORST THING YOU CAN EAT'
Trans fat is typically found in fried and baked goods, but you may be consuming more than you think.
Powdered coffee creamer, microwave popcorn and virtually anything processed with a crust is likely to contain it, as this guide from Mayo Clinic outlines:
Baked goods - Most cakes, cookies, pie crusts and crackers contain shortening, which is usually made from partially hydrogenated vegetable oil. Ready-made frosting is another source of trans fat.
Snacks - Potato, corn and tortilla chips often contain trans fat. And while popcorn can be a healthy snack, many types of packaged or microwave popcorn use trans fat to help cook or flavour the popcorn.
Fried food - Foods that require deep frying — french fries, doughnuts and fried chicken — can contain trans fat from the oil used in the cooking process.
Refrigerator dough - Products such as canned biscuits and cinnamon rolls often contain trans fat, as do frozen pizza crusts.
Creamer and margarine - Nondairy coffee creamer and stick margarines also may contain partially hydrogenated vegetable oils.
PFA Premier League team of 2018-19
Allison (Liverpool)
Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool)
Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool)
Aymeric Laporte (Manchester City)
Andrew Robertson (Liverpool)
Paul Pogba (Manchester United)
Fernandinho (Manchester City)
Bernardo Silva (Manchester City)
Raheem Sterling (Manchester City)
Sergio Aguero (Manchester City)
Sadio Mane (Liverpool)
More from Rashmee Roshan Lall
Pharaoh's curse
British aristocrat Lord Carnarvon, who funded the expedition to find the Tutankhamun tomb, died in a Cairo hotel four months after the crypt was opened.
He had been in poor health for many years after a car crash, and a mosquito bite made worse by a shaving cut led to blood poisoning and pneumonia.
Reports at the time said Lord Carnarvon suffered from “pain as the inflammation affected the nasal passages and eyes”.
Decades later, scientists contended he had died of aspergillosis after inhaling spores of the fungus aspergillus in the tomb, which can lie dormant for months. The fact several others who entered were also found dead withiin a short time led to the myth of the curse.
The biog
Favourite book: Animal Farm by George Orwell
Favourite music: Classical
Hobbies: Reading and writing
BIGGEST CYBER SECURITY INCIDENTS IN RECENT TIMES
SolarWinds supply chain attack: Came to light in December 2020 but had taken root for several months, compromising major tech companies, governments and its entities
Microsoft Exchange server exploitation: March 2021; attackers used a vulnerability to steal emails
Kaseya attack: July 2021; ransomware hit perpetrated REvil, resulting in severe downtime for more than 1,000 companies
Log4j breach: December 2021; attackers exploited the Java-written code to inflitrate businesses and governments
