The programme has been designed to shape digital professionals capable of taking on the major shifts occurring in the working world.
New Media Academy, a platform designed to shape the future of social media by incubating next-generation digital leaders in the Middle East, has launched the second season of its content creators programme – Faris Al Muhtawa.
Officially launched by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, in June 2020, New Media Academy received more than 1,500 applications for the new edition of the programme which is open to all content creators looking to learn the A-Z of content ideation and creation.
The five-month programme will be led by Lowi Sahi, who boasts over 300m YouTube views and 5m followers.
This season, a total of 50 content creators will learn the craft of storytelling, scripting, filming and editing by a line-up of instructors who will join Sahi, including Christian LeBlanc (@LostLeBlanc), Drew Binsky (@DrewBinsky), Caleb Gardener, Mina Al Sheikhly (@MinaAlsheikhly), Mohsin Khan (@EMKWAN) and more.
After the 50 participants have completed the five-month programme, ten of the cohort will continue the journey for a further three-year incubation period as they set off on a path to becoming full-time content creators.
The programme has been designed to shape digital professionals capable of taking on the major shifts occurring in the working world.
Speaking about the programme, Rashid Al Awadhi, CEO of New Media Academy, said: “As the Fourth Industrial Revolution accelerates, a multitude of new jobs have emerged which need dynamic and digitally-minded professionals to fill them, and take industries forward into the future. The Academy is developing content professionals who can meet this surging demand for digital jobs in the government and private sectors, which are undergoing rapid digital transformations. By providing certified training in an array of digital disciplines, we are upskilling young people to lead and elevate the strategies and policies of organisations in the region to new levels to increase global competitiveness and affect a positive shift to digital-first thinking.”
He added: “Influencer marketing, especially in the Arab World, is in a state of flux right now in the region. While the market is growing exponentially around the globe, with some market analysts predicting the industry will be worth more than US$15bn by 2022, it is on the decline in the Arab World. To overcome this, we are committed to sourcing and streamlining content creators who naturally excel in the digital sphere to maximise their reputation, reach and revenue.”
The newly revamped Faris Al Muhtawa programme has increased its onboarding number of handpicked participants from 20 to 50 content creators. At the end of the programme, ten creators will be selected and signed up exclusively with New Media Academy to continue their journey.
Faris Al Muhtawa provides content creators with a suite of resources to assist them to ensure a fully integrated and immersive experience. This will include the latest software and editing tools as well as weekly gatherings and outings for the participants to network and build a community with the New Media Academy team and other students around like-minded interests and goals.
The ten content creators who signed and graduated from the first season grew their audience reach on their social media channels from 500K to 2.2m followers.
