Modern problems need some kind of modern solution has become a trend, not only for the entrepreneurial sector but also for educational sector too. Being the hub of lifelong learning companies, Arc Skills bring a modernized solution and developed a unique gamified programme to larn the comprehensive set of 21st century skills in UAE schools, and its results reckoned as one of the extremely best results. Around 1,200 children were taught across nine UAE Schools that includes our own English High School, Al Ain; GEMS Modern Academy; and GEMS New Millennium and they develop new competencies through this programme.

SOAR skills 21 programme engages the fare of skill collectives like team activities, interactive quizzes, technology and gamification to immerse students in an alternate world of superheroes and supervillains to teach skills such as self-management, communication, collaboration and problem solving.
In a post-programme survey of 200 UAE students who completed Skills 21, 85% said they prefer the elements of gamified learning over traditional learning, while 90% said the game immersed them in the learning. Every student surveyed said they felt they had learnt something new about themselves and acquired new skills.

Skill 21 is a middle school programme of Arc Skills SOAR Pathway which creates a positive impact on the students and lifts them up from grade 1 to graduation by progressively teaching them a range of values, virtues, skills, and careers. The SOAR skills 21 programme is an initiative started to train the teachers to deliver the same in their schools and as of now 87 teachers was trained in UAE.
Students can enjoy the session in their own weekly modules which includes reading and quizzes that familiarise them with the 21 competencies of Skills 21. The teaching route wont be similar as the traditional method of teaching, in class, as a team, students must strategise to progress and win a game based around fictional heroes and villains without teacher guidance or intervention. At the same time, teacher will observes the use of 21 competencies by the students, awarding individual students with game points and badges when seen. The teacher will then lead the class in reflecting on the activity and how children can improve.

The programme grows skills unique to each child, with children on average developing 8-12 skills each. By having teachers reward skills based only on demonstrable use in class, it helps students understand what skills come naturally to their character and how to develop strengths and weaknesses.

Over 4,500 students have been taught across nine countries, with plans to expand the programme into more jurisdictions. Operating in the US, Argentina, Kenya, South Africa, Nigeria, India, Malaysia, and Indonesia, as well as the UAE, its the first-time gamification has been used to teach a single standardised programme to build soft skills essential for the modern job market across a wide range of cultures, economies and curricula.

Arc Skills design its structure with the essence of equipping the young mind with a set of skills for making them to adapt for the rapidly changing job market and no matter how the world of work evolves.
The technological advances gave a peek raise of new jobs and industries but right from there many existing jobs are increasingly coming under threat by this automation and AI. An Oxford University study found that in the coming years, almost half of all currently existing jobs in the US could be replaced by machines. A study by McKinsey and Company also showed that 45% of jobs in the Middle East are technically automatable today, which could result in the loss of 20.8 million full-time employees and $366.6 billion in wage income.

Mithun Kamath, Group CEO of Arc Skills, said:
With automation transforming the way we work, its crucial that young people today are skilled to work in ways machines cannot with the flexible faculties to move with the pace of change. Our education system cannot be there to produce more robots, but creative, engaged, critically thinking human beings who have the capacity not just to survive in a world of work changing faster than ever before, but thrive in it.

The success we have gained using gamification to train students in 21st century skills in the UAE breaks the boundaries and gave us hard evidence that we need to open the gate of opportunities by expanding our programme in other countries to build the young minds to face the rapid change of job market.

A UAE parent said:
"I have seen a change in my childs behaviour since this programme as she has become more respectful and conscious of what she says and in actions towards others. So it is definitely helping her to think better."

A UAE student said:
I learnt a lot about how the real-world works. In school, we dont know about the real world and how things happen we learn biology, history, geography. But in Skills 21 we got to experience everything that happens outside.