LocationsBayan AlSutari , Web Editor, Knowledge Project
Future Skills Academy: an incubator of hope and enabler of Arab citizens' potential
February 5, 2025
Photo: UNDP Lebanon
For thousands of years, the Arab region has been a beacon of knowledge and the cradle of global human civilization. Successive civilizations on this land laid the foundations of engineering, medicine, and astronomy.
Yet, today, the same region is torn apart by war, conflict, economic decline, and rising unemployment. Despite this, the region's thirst for knowledge persists. Individuals of all ages seek opportunities to learn and innovate, echoing the spirit of past civilizations. Science and knowledge remain the region's most powerful tools to forge a future of hope, peace and prosperity.
According to ESCWA, over 50% of the Arab population is under 24, facing challenges such as unemployment, skills mismatches, and academic qualifications that do not align with labour market needs. Additionally, ESCWA highlights that many Arab economies struggle to provide job opportunities that match the available skills.
The region also has the highest youth unemployment rates in the world, with over 15 million young people unemployed, according to the International Labour Organization (ILO). A growing skills gap in digital sectors further exacerbates this crisis.
In response to these challenges, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Knowledge Foundation (MBRF), in partnership with Coursera, launched the ‘FutureSkills4All’ initiative in 2023. The programme aims to equip Arab citizens with the necessary skills to improve their job market prospects and secure a better life. In its first year, 9,902 learners completed over 15,000 educational programmes, with a participation rate of 165% of the 6,000 available licences.
To expand its impact, the Future Skills Academy was launched as the second phase during the 79th UN General Assembly, targeting one million learners annually and 10 million by 2030. At the 2024 Knowledge Summit in Dubai, top learners from the 2023-2024 ‘FutureSkills4All’ initiative shared their success stories and the programme’s impact on their professional growth.
Hope blooms despite the war
Despite the war that lasted more than a year in Gaza, the ‘FutureSkills4All’ initiative brought hope to Amany Fahid, a young woman from the northern Gaza Strip. Over seven months, the Gaza resident regained and enhanced her English skills, which had been interrupted by her university education, through advanced English courses.
Amany launched the ‘Generous Hearts’ initiative to teach English language skills to displaced children in North Gaza
Photo: UNDP
The impact of the initiative was not limited to Amany alone; it extended to over 50 students, aged 8 to 12, whom she taught English in shelter schools through an initiative she named ‘Generous Hearts.’ This programme was designed to help students who had fallen behind in their education and lost their homes and family members. Amany encourages her peers not to give up, believing that challenges shape strong individuals and that hope is born from hardship.
Amany says: “This initiative became a sanctuary and a lifeline, allowing me to channel all my energy into learning, driven by my strong desire to develop myself, despite the challenges I faced, such as power and internet outages, and the struggle to find a place to charge my devices using solar power.”
Getting a new job
Mohammed Al-Husseini, 30 years old, from Al-Hasakah in the Syrian Arab Republic, had no idea that the skills he gained through the ‘FutureSkills4All’ initiative would enable him to secure a better job opportunity in the field of data analysis and information technology.
Mohammed, who holds a degree in telecommunications and electronics, enrolled in several intensive programmes within the initiative, such as ‘Advanced Data Analytics,’ ‘IT Support,’ and ‘Foundational Digital Skills Pathway.’ He completed 400 hours of training from international companies and universities.
Mohammed expressed the importance of the initiative, saying, “The initiative is an incubator for youth ambitions and offers a rare opportunity to gain global experience and skills for free. In my country, we do not have the means to easily cover the costs of specialized training courses, which makes accessing digital skills difficult for many. Thus, through ‘FutureSkills4All,’ I am trying to spread these opportunities to youth, enabling them to build promising careers and stay in tune with global developments.”
From engineer to certified English instructor
As an urban planning engineer at the Ministry of Electricity in Iraq, Zahra Bashir, 27, drew her HR department’s attention after earning a certified English language qualification from Coursera through the ‘FutureSkills4All’ initiative. This achievement allowed her to move beyond her daily responsibilities and transition into the role of a certified trainer.
Zahra now leads a three-month English language programme for over 94 ministry employees, 48 of whom are women, while also earning additional income from the sessions.
Through the initiative, Zahra enrolled in various programmes, including ‘Advanced Business English,’ ‘Cybersecurity Specialisation,’ and ‘Project Management.’ Reflecting on her journey, she shared: “This experience has strengthened my sense of self and fuelled my desire to uplift my community. I do not want us, as citizens of the Arab world, to be discouraged by the challenges around us. We must stay positive and work together to shape our future.”
Volunteering to serve the community
Hassan volunteers his time to teach students front-end development in a university lab in Somalia
Photo: UNDP
Hassan Abdullah, 21, from Somalia, has transformed the ‘FutureSkills4All’ initiative into a community service platform. He applied the skills learned in the ‘Front-End Development’ programme to the computer lab at Somaville University, where he now volunteers to teach over 100 students.
A graduate of the College of Information Technology, Hassan believes the initiative provided crucial learning resources that helped him acquire the future skills needed to adapt to the evolving job market. He pointed out that Somalia’s unstable security situation, along with a shortage of educational resources and global expertise, makes it hard to access such opportunities.
Hassan stated: “We urgently need initiatives like this, as they restore confidence in the Arab citizen's abilities to make positive contributions to community development. As individuals in the Arab world, we have the right to dream and turn those dreams into reality.”
Transforming a concept from paper to a startup
Omar, along with two colleagues, is founding a startup that converts plastic bottles into 3D printing filaments
Photo: UNDP
Omar Nasireh, 25 years old from rural Irbid, Jordan, often wondered if someone from a small town could create a global project.
Through the 'Entrepreneurship Mastery' programme by FutureSkills4All, Omar transformed his idea into a startup. He gained the skills to develop a business model, build a team, and leverage digital marketing to successfully launch the company alongside two engineering colleagues. Their company focuses on converting plastic bottles into 3D printing filaments, providing sustainable solutions. Omar dreams of an ‘Arab Silicon Valley’ to rival California’s and encourages his peers to take risks, learn from failure, and pursue their entrepreneurial ambitions.
Conquering challenges through knowledge
Khaled Khashfeh during his attendance at the Knowledge Summit in Dubai, 2024
Photo: UNDP
In March 2024, Khaled Khashfeh, 51, from northern Lebanon, found a turning point in his life by joining the ‘FutureSkills4All’ initiative. Struggling with retirement and health challenges as a person with a disability, he said: “The Personal Skills' programme was life-changing. It helped me develop problem-solving, creativity, and communication skills. Most importantly, it ended my intellectual isolation after a car accident in 1999 left me unable to walk, making me unwelcome in the workplace and exposed to bullying and harassment.”
With renewed hope, Khaled believes learning has no age limit and aims to leverage the skills he has acquired to secure a new job that will advance his career.
Enhancing client consultations
Adel Al-Hadhili applies skills from the initiative to elevate the quality of his training services for clients
Photo: UNDP
Adel Al-Hadhili, a 43-year-old Tunisian consultant and coach in digital transformation and innovation, applied his learnings from the ‘Entrepreneurship Mastery’ programme to enhance his training programmes and university lectures. By incorporating the latest global knowledge and practices, he successfully established a strong concept of digital innovation among his clients and students, particularly in digital and marketing strategies. This led to increased clientele and financial returns.
Adel stresses the importance of continuous learning, particularly in digital skills, as the key investment for Arab citizens to avoid stagnation and thrive in the rapidly evolving digital landscape.
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