JA Worldwide-HP Partnership To Advance Youth Technology Skills

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 13 (Bernama) -- Junior Achievement (JA) Worldwide and HP have announced a global partnership to advance digital skills, artificial intelligence (AI) education, workforce readiness and entrepreneurship among young people and educators across 37 countries.

According to JA Worldwide in a statement, the partnership combines HP’s technology, skills training and employee expertise with JA’s global reach, local community networks and more than a century of experience in experiential education.

The collaboration will provide locally tailored learning experiences while establishing shared standards for educational quality, volunteer engagement and impact measurement.

During the first year, JA Worldwide and HP expect to reach more than 850,000 young people and educators through hands-on learning activities, with HP employees contributing as mentors, speakers, subject-matter experts and judges.

JA Worldwide Chief Executive Officer, Asheesh Advani said the partnership would help young people develop digital fluency, entrepreneurial thinking and workforce readiness, while enabling educators to strengthen their skills and teaching practices.

Meanwhile, its Chief Development Officer, Leo Martellotto said the global framework would help expand effective programmes, create more opportunities for HP employees to share their expertise and extend learning opportunities to young people.

The partnership will cover countries across Africa, the Americas, Asia Pacific, Europe, and the Middle East and North Africa, including Malaysia, China, India, Indonesia, Nigeria, South Africa, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, Egypt and Saudi Arabia.

Its programmes will include AI and digital literacy, entrepreneurship, career exploration, work-readiness training, digital safety and citizenship, as well as professional development for educators.

In the Americas, the HP-supported #AIForImpact Challenge under JA Americas’ NAUFest initiative will invite young people to identify challenges in their communities and develop AI-powered solutions. Participants will receive guided learning, mentorship and opportunities to present their ideas.

Through the JA Institute, the organisations will also draw lessons from the partnership to inform wider discussions on education, technology, youth development and the future of work.

-- BERNAMA