H.H. Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Presidential Court, today attended the 14th edition of the Emirates Skills National Competition, held under the patronage of H.H. Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak, Chairwoman of the General Women's Union (GWU), President of the Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood, and Supreme Chairwoman of the Family Development Foundation (FDF). The event was also attended by H.H. Sheikh Theyab bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Member of the Abu Dhabi Executive Council. Sheikh Mansour said that the competition underscores the keenness of the UAE’s leadership to empower the Emirati youth, enhance their skills and enable them to excel in the labour market. He also lauded the efforts of the event’s organisers and the distinguished level of the competition, which aims to discover citizens’ talents in all technical and professional areas. He then commended the role of the Abu Dhabi Centre for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (ACTVET) in overseeing the competition’s organisation. Sheikh Mansour explored the competition’s venue and was briefed about the various activities held on its sidelines by Dr. Mubarak Saeed Al Shamsi, Director-General of ACTVET. He also learnt about several key skills categories, including mobile robot development, aircraft engine maintenance, industrial control systems, sculpture, computer turning, automotive technology, artificial intelligence and electrical engineering. Sheikh Mansour was then briefed about the "Programmer of the Future" initiative, which showcases the work of 100 Emirati programmers from grades six to twelve. The 14th edition of the competition was also attended by Dr. Ahmed bin Abdullah Belhoul Al Falasi, Minister of Education, Mohammed Abdullah Al Junaibi, Chairman of the Federal Protocol and Strategic Narrative Authority (FPSN), and several officials working in the education sector. The three-day event is part of the EmiratesSkills initiative which aims to raise awareness of vocational and technical education and raise the national standard of advanced technology capabilities among young Emiratis, in order to advance industrial and technological growth in the UAE.

The 2023 edition of the event featured more than 300 Emirati students between 16 and 21 years of age demonstrating their capabilities across 23 skill-based challenges in fields including artificial intelligence, programming, aircraft maintenance, mobile robotics, coding and 3D printing.