The Government Development and the Future Office of the UAE Government and Microsoft-owned LinkedIn have jointly launched the Future Skills for Women program, an initiative that aims to offer young Emirati women the skills to thrive in a rapidly changing workforce.
The Future Skills for Women program is the first initiative by ‘Future Partnerships’, a program developed under the partnership of the Government Development and the Future Office of the UAE Government, which intends to engage leading private sector firms to actively participate in shaping the future of the UAE.
The Future Partnerships Initiative is part of the UAE’s ambitious vision to strengthen the public-private collaboration and accelerate future readiness. It is designed to give private sector firms access to government to create impactful programs that will shape the future through creative ideas.
“Focusing on future skills is a top priority for the UAE government amid the changing employment landscape, where constant upskilling and reskilling are necessary to keep pace with the growing disruptions caused by technology across all sectors”, Mr. Ohoud Al Roumi, Minister of State for Governmental Development and Future, said.
The Future Skills for Women program will equip 2,000-plus young Emirati women with the skills for private-sector jobs, enabling them to participate in designing the future of the country and grow their contribution to the economy, a government statement said.
The female participation rate in the UAE workforce is far higher than the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region average at 46 percent, rising to 66 percent in the public sector. In March this year, the country made it compulsory for all stock market listed companies to have at least one female director on their boards.
The Future Skills for Women program in the UAE will provide participants with over 1,000 training hours covering skills such as lifelong learning, communication and technology, the statement said.
Sue Duke Head – Global Public Policy LinkedIn
“Our data indicate a gap in the representation of women in the majority of fast-changing jobs around the world, most notably those jobs related to technology and its applications. We must ensure that women are well represented by making gender equality a priority for governments and businesses around the world. In order to achieve this, recruitment practices must focus as much on skills and capabilities as they do on formal qualifications.”
The program will create online communities, bringing together learners and experts to share knowledge and ideas as well as connecting people to companies offering job opportunities and career development. It will also organize workshops and webinars with professionals from the UAE and abroad.
