Staff Major General Pilot Sheikh Ahmed bin Tahnoun bin Mohammed Al Nahyan, Chairman of the National and Reserve Service Authority, confirmed that the next stage in the UAE’s march requires continued focus on developing youth skills in future and technological fields, preparing them to face future challenges and keep pace with its changes, in order to achieve the vision of the leadership of the UAE and its belief in the role of youth to raise the status of the country and strengthen its global leadership.
This came during his meeting, on January 24, 2021, with the graduates of the third batch of the training program for employees of the national service, in the presence of His Excellency Omar bin Sultan Al Olama, Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy and Remote Work Applications, which is organized in cooperation with the National Program for Artificial Intelligence, with the aim of incubating young talents and developing their skills in the field of artificial intelligence, programming and developing algorithms, in order to achieve the objectives of the UAE Strategy for Artificial Intelligence 2031, and to enhance the country’s leadership in this future sector.
Major General Pilot Sheikh Ahmed bin Tahnoun bin Mohammed Al Nahyan said that future technologies and technological skills will be the most effective tool for national service employees in their career in the coming years, stressing the importance of strengthening cooperation with government agencies in the country to familiarize them with the latest future trends in the field of technology and artificial intelligence. Giving them the opportunity to show their capabilities and contribute to the development of national projects that serve the community.
For his part, His Excellency Omar Sultan Al Olama affirmed that the proactive vision of the leadership of the UAE in empowering its citizens and youth, and investing in technology, science and innovation, has strengthened the country’s ability to prepare for the future and its challenges by providing support, training opportunities and refining the skills of national talents to activate their vital role in developing the digital economy and diversifying its fields.
His Excellency said that the training program for the employees of the National Authority has achieved qualitative leaps in developing the future skills of the participants and their capabilities in presenting their projects, enhancing their confidence in presenting their ideas and visions, and employing them in developing software and algorithms to launch integrated and qualitative projects.
He added: “The success achieved by this training program constitutes an important step in activating the outputs of the Emirates Artificial Intelligence Strategy 2031, and developing an integrated system that employs artificial intelligence in vital areas, thus contributing to the provision of services enhanced with advanced technology.”
During the meeting, the National Service employees reviewed an innovative project that is the first of its kind in the field of electronic marine maps to track ships, locate them and track their movement on a digital map, and it is distinguished from traditional maps in the maritime sector by its ability to use several techniques simultaneously.
The project was developed in just 109 days using 14 advanced programming languages and technology, and required more than 25,000 lines of programming. This technology, which has been developed using complex algorithms and artificial intelligence technology, contributes to reducing smuggling, drug trafficking and piracy crimes, in addition to preventing ship collisions and many other applications.
The most prominent achievements made since the launch of the training program were also reviewed, including the “M061” project for the manufacture of ventilators, which was developed by a team of national and international talents within eight weeks to support the efforts of the UAE in facing the challenges of the emerging corona virus “Covid-19”, and strengthening health sector capabilities to ensure the health and safety of citizens and residents.
During the meeting, it was announced that a specialized committee would be formed from the National and Reserve Service Authority and the National Program for Artificial Intelligence, to study the ideas and projects of the program’s affiliates and the opportunities to implement them on the ground, and turn them into emerging companies that serve the country’s digital economy.
It is noteworthy that the National and Reserve Service Authority signed in December 2019 a memorandum of understanding with the National Program for Artificial Intelligence, with the aim of enhancing the skills of affiliates in the fields of artificial intelligence, introducing them to the latest global and technological trends, and adopting modern technologies and innovations in various fields through a set of specialized programs to develop the skills of employees of national service In the sectors of artificial intelligence and robotics, and training them in the latest technological tools, which contributes to providing opportunities for personal and practical development for its affiliates.
Since the signing of the agreement, the National Program for Artificial Intelligence has embraced three batches of national service employees, during which it focused on developing their skills in the field of artificial intelligence and employing them in a range of projects, developing innovative products and services in advanced technological sectors, in addition to developing the skills of its associates in the fields of design and display. And gain practical experience
The training program includes a set of training tracks that are divided into several stages, where the first phase focused on refining their skills in the field of programming, while the associates in the second phase worked on applying the skills they acquired in developing various software and projects, including analyzing the Arabic language using intelligence techniques. Artificial Intelligence, and the development of autonomous vehicle technologies, in order to accelerate the pace of development of this vital field by adopting the technology of the future.
