CRACKING START TO MILLION ARAB CODERS PROGRAMME
▶ Vice President attends graduation ceremony after 22,000 complete course
The UAE is well on its way to cracking the code in its ambitious bid to train one million Arabs to be at the forefront of new technology. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, hailed coding as the “language of the future” after attending a graduation ceremony of the One Million Arab Coders initiative, set up to train a million Arabs in computer programming over three years.
More than 22,000 people from across the globe completed the programme this year.
At the ceremony, held at Vox Cinema at the Mall of the Emirates in Al Barsha, Dubai, Sheikh Mohammed said mastering new technology created new opportunities for young people making their way up the career ladder.
He said coding would be vitally important to the economy in years to come.
“Coding creates opportunities for future generations,” Sheikh Mohammed said.
The One Million Arab Coders programme, organised by the Mohammed bin Rashid Global Initiatives, has a bold mission to empower Arab youth and equip participants with the technological tools to successfully tackle the challenges of the future.
Sheikh Mohammed attended the ceremony with several dignitaries, including Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, the Crown Prince of Dubai, and Omar Al Olama, Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence.
The coding campaign has proved a big hit, with 375,000 people registering for its first edition.
At the ceremony a new virtual learning platform, TeachMeNow, was launched and 250 participants were awarded scholarships for their achievements in the programme.
The Dubai Future Foundation also unveiled a new partnership with Microsoft and Consensys Academy to train those taking part in the coders programme, while agreements were signed with major companies such as Careem, IBM and Souq.com to provide job opportunities to graduates.
The One Million Arab Coders initiative, which is supported by the Hussain Sajwani – DAMAC Foundation, features multiple stages.
In the first stage, participants from across the world register to join one of two categories – Arab students or tutors. Stage two requires applicants to complete several three-month virtual coding programmes.
The coders initiative is intended to capture the imagination of young Arabs and position them for an industry that is expected to generate hundreds of thousands of jobs in the future.