In September, Armenian Progressive Youth (APY) marked an important milestone in its work to equip young people with skills for the future by launching the Future Skills Academy. The Academy brings together 111 young people aged 15–29 through five cohorts in five communities: Vayk, Ararat, Yerevan, Charentsavan and Tsaghkadzor.
The first training sessions took place on 7 September, marking the beginning of a two-month learning programme focused on skills that are increasingly relevant to today’s changing labour market.
The Academy focuses on four key areas: digital literacy, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and soft skills. Through a combination of in-person and online learning, participants are gaining practical knowledge and exploring tools and approaches that can support their studies, career development and future employment opportunities.
The programme includes 40 hours of in-person training and 20 hours of online learning, alongside guest speaker sessions, group projects, individual assignments, self-study and mentoring. In total, participants will complete nearly 100 hours of learning and practical work throughout the Academy.
The sessions are led by leading professionals and experts in their respective fields, who bring their knowledge and practical experience into the learning process. Their involvement allows participants to explore current trends, discuss real-life examples and gain insights from professionals working at the forefront of the fields they are interested in.
Alongside digital and technical competencies, the Academy places strong emphasis on developing participants’ communication, teamwork, leadership, and problem-solving skills.
Participants will also work on practical employment and entrepreneurship packages designed to support their transition into the labour market or help them develop their own business ideas.
The employment package covers CV and motivation letter writing, LinkedIn profile development, as well as other job-search and career-development skills. The entrepreneurship package focuses on turning ideas into viable business concepts through business model development, business planning, and the use of digital tools such as Canva for business communication and promotion.
An important component of the Academy is the opportunity for participants to apply their newly acquired knowledge and skills in practice. Through group projects, individual assignments, and mentoring, participants work on their own ideas, explore and use new digital tools and approaches, and learn how to turn knowledge into practical solutions. This hands-on process also encourages collaboration, peer learning, creativity, and problem-solving, giving participants experience they can use in future employment or entrepreneurial activities.
The Future Skills Academy is implemented within the framework of the “NEST: National Ecosystem of Skills and Technologies” initiative, in cooperation with the Ministry of High-Tech Industry of the Republic of Armenia and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
As the Academy continues, participants are building practical skills, gaining new perspectives from experienced professionals and preparing for their next steps in education, employment and entrepreneurship.
