ICDL Arabia reports 24% increase in the enrolment of GCC Nationals

UAE, November 4, 2014 – ICDL Arabia, the governing body and certification authority for the ICDL certificate program in Egypt, GCC States and Iraq, has announced that it has registered a 24% increase in the number of GCC applicants enrolling in the New ICDL program so far this year. This is attributed to the New ICDL modules and the flexibility offered in the new structure of the program as introduced earlier this year. The increase in the number of GCC applicants is 24%, with UAE representing 42% of this increase followed by Qatar 31%, Bahrain 18%, Oman 6% and Saudi Arabia %3.

The New ICDL structure and the addition of new modules to the candidates’ list of choices ensure they have the digital skills for today’s job market. New modules such as Project Planning, Online Collaboration and IT Security offer flexibility for both candidates and employers and allow them to develop digital literacy, competence, and expertise in a manner deemed appropriate by them. This update in content and structure of ICDL came in line with the vision of training and education regulators around the world particularly in the UK and US.

The New ICDL structure also came along with a new certificate design incorporating security and useful features allowing employers to validate job candidate’s skills and allowing employees to keep track of their progress as to which ICDL modules they have completed successfully. These features include a quick response (QR) code on the certificate that enables certificate holders to view their profile through any QR reader which is available freely on all smart devices.

Jamil Ezzo, Director General of ICDL Arabia, said: “The tremendous increase in GCC applicants to the New ICDL structure is driven largely by the proactive initiatives taken by their respective governments to implement latest ICT skills on all nationals. UAE progress is partly attributed to the decisions taken by the Abu Dhabi Systems and Information Centre (ADSIC) and the Abu Dhabi Police to implement the ICDL IT Security module for all their employees.  The progress in Qatar and Bahrain came in response to organization wide implementation of ICDL 7 module certification program by Supreme Education Council in Qatar as well as the Ministry of Education in Bahrain aimed at teachers and administrative staff. The increase in Oman’s applicants was similarly due to the agreement between the Ministry of Education in Oman and Sultan Qaboos University to adopt the ICDL IT Security module for teachers and staff.”