The program’s top innovators were Sabiha Shaik; Mouza Al Hammadi; Abdulaziz Al Mansoori; Noura Juma; Safiya Ahmed; Fahed Ali Naji; Bushra; Shaki Ali; Amir Abdella and Mohammad Al Ryatt. All of them showed strong performance and demonstrated high aptitude during the course of their rigorous, specialized training on Internet of Things (IoT), innovation, and research and development, among others.
This year, the program attracted a total of 1000 participants of different nationalities, 42 of whom were UAE citizens. The rest came from India, Jordan, Egypt, Yemen, Eritrea, Oman, Pakistan, Palestine, and Sudan. The youngest was 16 years old, while the oldest was 56 years old. Majority of the participants were female at 55 per cent, while the males comprised 45 per cent.
During the ceremony, Saeed Al Mansoori, Executive Director of ADDA, welcomed all the attendees in a speech during which she congratulated all of the program’s participants for their achievements, perseverance, dedication, and hard work. She also said that they served as an inspiration to the government as Abu Dhabi continues to look for ways to equip the country’s citizens, especially the young, with the knowledge and skills needed to make them more competitive, more efficient, and more ready to effectively handle and manage the jobs of the future.
“The program is also aligned with the mandate and commitment of ADDA to develop talents and build a generation of innovators and inventors in the country. Undoubtedly, it is critical to our efforts to build a leading and inclusive digital government in the capital. Our top innovators are the pioneers of our future who are conscious of the rapid changes brought about by the mind-blowing digital innovations taking place worldwide. It is our hope that our innovators will soon take the lead in the UAE’s digital transformation journey,” H.E. Al Saadi said.
“Cisco is proud to continue its contribution towards talent development and capacity building in the UAE and across the region. We are delighted to have partnered with ADDA to support the Digital Champions Program, which prides itself upon empowering and upskilling local talent. Through the program, we have seen over 1000 participants benefit from the use of customized online learning solutions and interactive workshops. This will enable them to apply their newfound skills in IoT to a range of careers, where digital transformation is essential. In doing so, we believe they will help drive innovation forward and strengthen our knowledge-based economy,” said Shukri Eid, Managing Director, East Region, Cisco Middle East.
The program was launched to equip new graduates, university students, and government employees with advanced digital skills and make them more efficient in technological fields such as Internet of Things (IoT).’
It contains a set of courses offered by Cisco Net Academy that is designed to enhance the digital capacity and skills of innovators and inventors. The training will help them flourish in their careers, effectively meet the demands of future jobs, increase their competitiveness, become more technologically innovative, and be more prepared to successfully handle future functions.
