SkillsForward: learning to leverage key AI and human skills in jobs across industries

SkillsForward participants complete learning pathways

Through SkillsForward, Kiron equips refugee and migrant learners with the AI and human skills needed for today’s job market. The self‑paced program combines hands‑on toolkits with expert‑led live sessions and events. Our two nine‑week pathways, Boost Your Career with AI and Drive Your Success with Human Skills, have just wrapped up, with learners from around the world sharing how their experiences have shaped their confidence and careers.

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Accessing AI upskilling 

For many participants, Kiron has been a lifeline. Khair Ullah and Isee Isaack, for example, both describe the barriers they faced before finding Kiron. “As a Somali refugee living in Kenya, accessing higher education opportunities has not always been easy due to financial and structural barriers,” says Isee Issack. Khair Ullah adds, “Refugees often do not have equal or adequate access to educational resources and opportunities.”

Having learned through the Kiron Campus over the last few years, both men were eager to join SkillsForward. Through the Boost Your Career with AI pathway, Khair Ullah gained the confidence and foundational skills to create his own custom AI-powered bot, while Isee Issack learned to use AI to strengthen his self-study practices. “The program inspired me to continue building my digital knowledge,” says Khair Ullah.

Other learners have shared similar takeaways. “The course improved my understanding of modern technologies and motivated me to explore how AI can be used to solve problems and create innovative solutions,” says Abdulaziz.

Human skills in the AI era

The Drive Your Success with Human Skills pathway focuses on uniquely human strengths that are increasingly essential as AI advances, such as communication, critical thinking, and adaptability.

One of our graduates from the human skills pathway, Alina, says the course offered valuable insights and tangible tips for effective communication. Another learner, Jolis, highlights how it strengthened his problem-solving skills, boosting his confidence in the workplace. 

Ashraf, an Afghan professional in Germany with over two decades of experience in global organizations, completed the two SkillsForward pathways. "The program has significantly improved my skills by providing both practical knowledge and guidance in areas critical to my professional growth,” he says. He credits SkillsForward with helping him integrate AI automation into procurement workflows and providing the so-called social proof he needed to demonstrate his readiness for the German job market. “Kiron helped bridge my recognition gap,” he says, “allowing me to reframe my expertise in the context of real-world results.”

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Advancing careers across industries through SkillsForward 

Across both pathways, learners are seeing real change in their professional lives. “Before joining Kiron, I had no idea how to use AI in my studies or daily life,” says Sharmake. “Now, I’ve developed practical knowledge of AI tools for research, writing, and problem‑solving. The program taught me to think critically, adapt to new tools, and become more competitive in the job market.”

Faith shares a similar story, saying, “I used to be skeptical about AI. Through this course, I came to understand its value in my career and academics.” SkillsForward even helped her launch her own project. “I wanted to start my own business, but I always got stuck not knowing how to begin. With the AI skills obtained through SkillFoward, I was able to break that bottleneck and figure out what I need to do,” she shares. “I was able to create and instruct my own assistant bot as an environment and climate change specialist!”

After creating her own AI model for her final project, Ola reports that she significantly strengthened her personal and professional abilities through SkillsForward. “The program improved my skills and confidence so much that I even earned a patent through the Jordanian Ministry of Industry and Trade. I also built a website to help graduates craft effective CVs and LinkedIn profiles,” she shares.

Another participant shares how his learnings have transformed his work as a dentist. “Now I use AI tools daily in my research and practice,” says Abdullah. “I’m able to think more analytically and work more efficiently.”

For Amir El-deen, a software engineer, the AI pathway was directly applicable to his everyday work.  “I now use AI assistants strategically to generate boilerplate code, debug complex issues, and explore alternative solutions. Another area where I gained practical skills was in using AI to improve code documentation, something developers often neglect but desperately need,” he explains.

Abdullahi found the training invaluable for his work as a teacher. “The program improved my communication and problem‑solving skills, which I use every day in my classroom,” he says. “It also motivated me to keep developing professionally and contribute more effectively to my community.”

Finally, Abdifatah, a Somali refugee in France, built on his background in economics. “Moving to France meant starting over with a new language, different systems, and job market,” he recalls. “Through this program, I learned to use AI for automation and research, creating custom GPTs and increasing my productivity.” He found the final project especially rewarding. “Designing an AI‑based solution for a real‑world challenge helped me connect theory with practice,” he says. 

“For me,” Abdifatah adds, “Kiron represents opportunity and resilience — a belief that education can open new doors, no matter the challenges.”

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Embracing a new age

Many learners also share that SkillsForward gave them not just technical abilities but also a new perspective. “The program helped me realize that human skills are still relevant to make meaningful contributions in our societies,” shares Jolis. 

As a software engineer, Amir El-deen, too, had initially feared that AI would make him redundant. “The program helped me understand that AI is not a threat to my role but a tool that will increasingly be integrated into the platforms I work with. This mindset shift has made me more adaptable and eager to embrace AI, rather than resist it.”

We’re continuing to grow our impact, with two new SkillsForward cohorts already underway, on track to reach 5,000 learners by the end of summer 2026.

Learn more about SkillsForward!

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