To empower the youth with relevant knowledge and skills required to excel in the fast-paced media sector, Sajaya Young Ladies of Sharjah (SYL), a subsidiary of the Rubu’ Qarn Foundation, has enrolled 30 members for the Sharjah Government Media Bureau (SGMB) ‘Career Shadow’ programme, which will run unti April 23 under the slogan ‘Media Skills’.

The training programme, which also targets 30 members of the Sharjah Youth, will be delivered virtually on the WebEx platform, and seeks to enhance participant understanding of the workings of the media sector by offering them an in-depth look on SGMB’s workflow, operations and regulations.

The training, based on practical learning, will also feature a daily workshop from 7 – 7:40 pm, to enable students to practice and practically apply their learnings.

Specialised workshops are part of this six-day training programme and include, ‘Media coverage on social media’ by Abdullah Al Yasi, a photography workshop by Sultan Al Dhahoury, ‘Digital Media’ by Fatima Ibrahim, ‘Art of Management’ by Mouza Butti, a workshop on protocol by Hassan Al Jasmi, and finally, ‘Media Relations’ by Hussain Al Mulla.

Sheikha Aisha Al Qasimi, Director of SYL, said: “Our participation in SGMB’s programme is aligned with our goals to educate and upskill our members with practical knowledge of various sectors, so they are ready to capitalise on future career prospects. Through the ‘Career Shadow’ programme, we seek to raise a generation of young media professionals equipped with the ethics and practical experience required to make valuable contributions to the profession.”

Al Qasimi lauded SGMB’s efforts in organising these innovative programmes and reaching out to their target audience despite current challenges posed by a global health crisis, noting that it presents an excellent opportunity for SYL members to make the most of their time at home, gaining new knowledge, skills and experiences.

HE Tariq Saeed Allay, Director of SGMB, said: “We have launched this specialised e-training programme in cooperation with SYL to upskill media and communications students, and get them ready to join the sector’s workforce after they graduate. The programme’s specialised training and workshop curriculum will be delivered by experienced SGMB cadre who will share key practical insights, with an emphasis on how media plays a vital role in countering and rectifying misinformation and false news during crises like a global pandemic the world is currently witnessing.”

He added that the virtual programme is a step to ensure continuity of learning in line with precautionary measures the UAE government is taking to curb the spread of the coronavirus disease.

Fatima Musharbek, Acting Director of Sharjah Youth, called on members to benefit from the ‘Career Shadow’ programme, praising SGMB for their efforts to build the capacities of Sharjah Youth members in the media sector. She emphasised how SGMB is deploying smart innovations to virtually upskill the programme’s participants, adding that its curriculum will enable participants to make a qualitative change in the services provided to the public through the adoption of industry best practices.