The Skills Lab is being held in July at five Sharjah Youth centres across the emirate: Wasit, Khorfakkan, Kalba, Dibba Al Hisn and Al Dhaid, with the latter operating under a cluster system serving the Central Region centres. The initiative offers more than 110 high-quality programmes across 11 specialised tracks, professionally designed to meet the aspirations of participants while providing practical experiences that enrich their knowledge, refine their skills and broaden their horizons for creativity and innovation.

Investing in people and future generations

The Skills Lab reflects the vision of His Highness Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, and his wife, Her Highness Sheikha Jawaher bint Mohammed Al Qasimi, Chairperson of the Sharjah Family and Community Council, to invest in people and prepare generations equipped with knowledge, skills, values and the ability to serve society and contribute to building a sustainable future.

Eleven specialised learning tracks

The programmes cover a diverse range of fields, including culture, Emirati heritage, Islamic arts, cinematic arts, theatre and performing arts, artificial intelligence, science and technology, visual arts, crafts and vocational skills, modern media and digital content creation, as well as life skills, offering an integrated educational experience that combines knowledge, practical application and creativity.

Building Lasting Impact

Dr Abdulrahman Al Yassi, Director of Sharjah Youth, said the Skills Lab is one of the organisation's key strategic initiatives, reflecting the vision and comprehensive approach of the Rubu' Qarn Foundation for Creating Future Leaders and Innovators in preparing future generations through an interactive learning environment. The initiative enables participants to progress from acquiring knowledge to producing and applying it, strengthening their self-confidence, uncovering their potential and empowering them to make a positive impact on their communities.

Al Yassi said: "This year's theme, 'Modern Skills with an Emirati Spirit,' reflects Sharjah Youth's commitment to preparing a generation that keeps pace with the world's rapid transformations while remaining firmly rooted in its national identity and authentic values. This supports our goal of developing well-balanced Emirati personalities by equipping participants with knowledge, empowering them to harness technology and encouraging them to use creativity and innovation in the service of their country. The programmes have been professionally designed to emphasise experiential learning, teamwork, creative thinking and problem-solving while reinforcing the values of responsibility, initiative and sustainability, in line with our strategic vision of being 'a community partner in building and empowering aware and influential generations.'"

Inspiring practical experiences

Throughout the Skills Lab, participants engage in a variety of practical experiences within an inspiring educational environment that combines creativity with hands-on application, enabling them to discover their interests and develop their skills across a wide range of disciplines.

Through its innovative content and high-quality experiences, the Skills Lab demonstrates that when modern skills are combined with national identity, the summer holiday becomes a valuable opportunity for self-discovery, personal development and the preparation of generations who believe that creativity begins with an idea, grows through skill and ultimately creates a positive impact that benefits society.