Marking World Youth Skills Day 2023 ECAE and ESE Launch Mentorship Program

The Emirates College for Advanced Education (ECAE) has collaborated with the Emirates Schools Establishment (ESE) to launch a significant initiative in celebration of World Youth Skills Day 2023. Aligned with the theme of "skilling teachers, trainers, and youth for a transformative future," ECAE has introduced a comprehensive 5-day Pre-Service Mentors Induction Program, taking place from July 3rd to July 7th. This initiative aims to make a lasting impact and prepare educators for the challenges and opportunities of the future.

The first Pre-Service Mentors Induction Program aimed to equip 75 experienced teachers from public schools across the United Arab Emirates (UAE) with the skills to enhance their ability to support the youth of our nation for a successful future. Through a partnership with the ESE, the Mentors Induction Program will also prepare aspiring mentors and educators for the structure and content of the Pre-Service Post-Graduate Diploma in Education that will be launched in August 2023.

This inaugural Mentors Induction Program focused on the ECAE’s signature pedagogies for promoting learning independence, introduced mentors to critical friendship approaches to school-based mentoring, and effective strategies for supporting and evaluating interns' practice-based learning and growth as reflective practitioners in classrooms and schools. It also highlighted the essential role that teachers, trainers and other educators play in providing skills for youth to transition to the labor market and to actively engage in their communities and societies. 

On each day of the Mentor Induction Program, the agenda included:

• Day 1: An introduction to Pre-Service program content, principles and roles. 
• Day 2: Supporting interns learnt to teach as reflective practitioners by observing teachers’ classroom practices and accessing teachers’ and students’ craft knowledge.   
• Day 3: Building mentors’ awareness of the ECAE’s signature pedagogies and reflecting how to support interns incorporate signature pedagogies into their developing teaching practice. 
• Day 4: The role of mentors in evaluating interns’ learning-to-teach progression throughout the year. 
• Day 5: A review of the Mentor Induction Program.

The ECAE and ESE are excited about this collaboration and the opportunities it presents for teachers from across the UAE with the necessary tools and mentorship to excel in their profession. The launch of these Pre-Service Programs represents a significant milestone for both institutions as they continue to provide high-quality teacher education to all students across the country. 

Dr. May Al Taee, Vice Chancellor of the Emirates College for Advanced Education, said: “The ECAE aims to continue making a positive impact on teachers, mentors and youth for a transformative future. With the launch of the Mentors Induction Program, we will empower aspiring school-based mentors with the necessary skills and strategies to support teachers along their journey as we continue to transform the teaching profession to improve the quality of student learning processes and outcomes.” 

Her Excellency Hessa Rasheed, Acting Executive Director of School Development Sector at the Emirates Schools Establishment, affirmed that the Establishment is keen to strengthen constructive partnership with various entities across the country, as part of its continuous effort to advance the education system. She said that the Mentorship Program comes as a result of the successful partnership with the Emirates College for Advanced Education, pointing out that this program plays an important role in empowering and upskilling mentors in public schools according to the best international practices, which will reflect positively on the quality of educational performance. 

With the collaboration of 75 carefully selected School-based mentors from public schools, the ECAE is confident that the learning experience of its interns during the practicum components of the Pre-Service PGDE’s will be enhanced significantly. These mentors will play a vital role in supporting interns' learning and growth as they navigate their teaching journey.   

The ECAE’s commitment to youth extends beyond graduation, by creating a culture of lifelong learning, encouraging our alumni to continuously upgrade their skills and stay ahead in an ever-changing professional landscape by providing rigorous learning and development opportunities in practical, theoretical and research disciplines of teaching, learning, assessment and curriculum. The ECAE will continue to ensure that its Pre-Service Programs foster the sustained growth and professional development of future teachers. 

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