Coding Ambassadors to upskill workers, students and officials in UAE
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Dubai: The UAE’s first ‘Coding Ambassadors’ have been selected to make coding more appealing and upskill students, professionals and officials.
Omar Sultan Al Olama, Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy and Remote Work Applications, said preparing generations qualified in artificial intelligence is the primary step in accelerating digital transformation of all work models. He added the move embodies the directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, in building coders’ capabilities, as well as encouraging them to share their knowledge in building the “best digital economy”.
His comments came in the lead up to “UAE codes” day (October 29) and the announcement of the National Program for Coders’ selection of 56 Coding Ambassadors, targeting government and private sector leaders, employees, and university and school students to share digital knowledge with the coding community.
Ambassadors’ tasks
Through the programme, the ambassadors will coordinate monthly meetings, workshops for the ambassadors and the coding community, and special coding sessions for talents that are interested in the field of coding, to refine their skills.
The programme identified three different tiers for Coding Ambassadors after evaluating and interviewing many applicants, and passing the last stage of submitting a coding case study.
The Silver Tier has 16 ambassadors consisting of students and fresh graduates with skills in coding; Gold Tier includes 33 ambassadors who are advanced in the digital field; and Platinum Tier comprises seven ambassadors that are experts in coding, leaders and employees in government and private institutions.
Dr Essa Basaeed, Mariam AlNaqbi, Muhammad AlBlooshi, Fatima Al Falahi, Maryam AlQassim and Sarah Al Bastaki from Dubai;
Fahd AlJneibi, Hajar Al Naqbi, Ali Abu Zanjal, Muhammad Eid, Reem Jassem from Sharjah;
Dr Ahmed AlAli and Shaher Tayfor from Umm Al Quwain;
Maryam AlMansoori from Ras AlKhaimah;
Moza Quraini, Shaima AlAntali, and Maryam AlAmiri from Fujairah.
Points system
The ambassadors will work in different teams to enhance competitiveness through a points system that will be awarded to the most effective team according to the type of initiatives submitted, such as holding meetings, workshops, and hackathons.
Coding Ambassadors will further support the National Programme for Coders’ initiatives by meeting experts and inspiring people through the Coders HQ’s “Get inspired”, conduct meetings at the HQ “Meetups” and sharing success stories, and organising educational workshops in the HQ “Learn” about new digital methods.
The Coding Ambassadors initiatives was announced on “Update” platform launched by the minister to increase the number of coders in the UAE and empower the coder’s community.
