The portal will educate young people aged between 15 to 24 years, and sharpen their skills.

Although the lockdown kept a large number of students across the globe away from classrooms for almost two years, those in connected ecosystems like the UAE were able to continue their studies and even benefited from the additional resources unlocked by edtech platforms among other digital alternatives. Around the same time, established professionals as well as aspiring talent also struggled to find employment due to job cuts triggered by uncertainty in different sectors, which triggered a quest for enhancing digital skills to gain an edge over the competition in the new normal.

Several initiatives including apps to inculcate financial literacy among blue collar workers, along with some that provide mentorship for out of work professionals, have also been rolled out in the UAE, with a view to ensure opportunities for all through innovation. Following such efforts by startups and industry bodies in the Emirates, now Dubai Cares has joined forces with giants like Microsoft, Accenture and UNICEF itself, to create a platform where young people can access education for free, and those looking for jobs can sharpen their skills for better prospects.

Aimed at addressing a global education crisis, the Passport to Earn initiative is offering certificate courses and skill-based programs, so that coming generations are able to find decent work in a world that's quickly embracing digitisation. Starting from foundational content, the platform goes on to cover digital knowhow, technical skills and also role-based training for participants aged between 15 to 24 years.

It doesn't just stop at providing knowledge and certification, since the platform also lists out employment as well as entrepreneurship opportunities, where people can make optimum use of their skills. Microsoft's community training platform has formed the base for this initiative, which is an extension of the Learning Passport programme, launched as a collaboration between the firm and UNICEF.

Governments will also be able to upgrade their workforce by providing training in digital skills for existing employees.