Emirati pupil in running for top computer contest

Abu Dhabi: From an early age Noora Mohammad Al Ahmad’s imagination has been captured by technology, and the realisation that one simple cheat code could unlock the next level of her computer game fascinated her.

Today what began as a hobby at the age of six has led the 17-year-old Emirati high school pupil to become one of three finalists in the running to represent her country at the prestigious GCC Skills technology challenge.

“When I started using computers, I was so excited to be able to discover the way the software worked and how to unlock game cheats to advance to the next levels. From then on my curiosity grew. I wanted to know everything I could about computers, and to keep up to date with what was new,” Noora, who recently completed Grade 11 at the Applied Technology High School (ATHS), told Gulf News.

With this enthusiasm Noora and her partner were able to outsmart ten other teams and achieve first place in the national Emirates Skills Mechatronics (mechanical and electronic engineering) Competition, organised by the Abu Dhabi Centre for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (ACTVET) in April this year.

Noora’s win awarded her team a prize of Dh21,000 and made her eligible to enter the regional GCC Skills competition.

“Noora is an intelligent student. As her studies are concentrated in mechanical and electronic engineering she has learnt the necessary skills in class but her dedication to practise outside of school hours has contributed to her success in the competition,” said Maisa’a Nazar, lead teacher at ATHS.

“The competition required her to build a machine that performed on two cylinders, to programme its function using computer software know-how as a Programmable Logic Controller (PLC), and then to establish the connections to make the machine work,” she said.

This technology is commonplace in dairy factories, where it is used on a larger scale to construct synchronised mechanical production lines that fill milk bottles.

“What I most enjoy about mechatronics is the creativity that is needed when deciding what connections we should make. In the end, the machine should work in the same way, but the design of the connections will determine how efficiently the machine runs and this is where my skill lies,” Noora said.

She also earned recognition from the judging panel, which compared her ability with that of a qualified engineer rather than a student.

Despite such high praise, Noora was not always so sure that she should pursue her education at an institution that specialised in technology.

Passion

“Although using technology had always been my passion, and until now it is my only interest outside of school, I found that I received higher marks in other subjects and very few of my friends were going to study in this field,” she said.

“However, I would encourage all girls considering a career in technology to follow this path; the skills I have learnt have been very useful in my everyday life, which is becoming more dependent on technology. In addition, engineering has allowed me to appreciate new ways of learning and the value of hard work,” she said.

Education authorities in Abu Dhabi have been encouraging the development of maths, science and technology skills among youth in order to help them develop the skills they need in the future to become part of the emirate’s workforce. Noora’s passion therefore sets her among those who are well-placed to succeed in these career paths.

Now Noora has set her sights on the GCC Skills competition, as she prepares for an interview in September that will determine whether she will achieve a place and travel to Saudi Arabia in 2014.

“I am very proud to have the chance to represent my country in the regional rounds of the competition, and if I am successful I will have the opportunity to enter the World Skills competition, which would be a dream,” Noora said.

World Skills is the final stage of the competition that will see winning students from the GCC rounds participating at an international level with students from around the world. The increased competition and the higher level of skills demanded, such as advanced software programming, the use of complex tools and machinery, and the intricate design of electronic circuits make this stage of the competition the most difficult for participating students.

“This is why we encourage our students to participate in extra-curricular activities, such as Emirates Skills. We find that it furthers their capabilities and interest in the subject. Often the experience can help them to choose a career,” Nazar said.

“Since the Abu Dhabi female campus opened in 2011 we have seen an increase in the number of female engineers and this is an extremely positive trend for the field of engineering, as characteristics of both genders are needed,” she added.

— Cherry Warburton is an intern at Gulf News