Jadarah, the six-month long talent accelerator program launched in September 2018 by Al Tayyar's Strategic Online Business Unit, has welcomed a number of exciting new partners. Amazon Web Services (AWS), the University of Manchester Middle East Centre, Step Group and Microsoft have pledged support to give 20 selected graduates the opportunity to nurture and develop their skills through tailored activities. Through Jadarah, Arab youth from across the region, selected after a process of interviews and assessments last summer, were presented with the opportunity to discover a plethora of best practices and industry insights from the new partners. This collaboration helps to increase and maximize career prospects of the region's young talent. The significant project was launched in order to support the increasing number of the population in Saudi who are under 30. According to the latest data from Saudi Arabia's General Authority for Statistics, 58.5% of the current population is under 30 which means the local job market has to create new roles for a workforce which is increasingly looking for innovative and technology-based careers. Aligned with Saudi's 2030 vision, Jadarah aims to empower local youth by providing them with the right tools to strive for their own success. It also aims to expand the country's job market and continue to strengthen the knowledge-based economy. Two of the key goals from Vision 2030 which are directly supported by Jadarah are lowering the unemployment rate to 7% and increasing the contribution to GDP from the private sector to 65% from 40%. "Our vision for Jadarah supports the wider Vision 2030. With nearly 60% of the population of the Kingdom under 30 years old, our program is designed to bridge the gap from the classroom to real world business and is a step towards meeting many of Vision 2030's goals. We have seen directly how the young people involved in the first program have benefited through industry insights, practical learning and the opportunity to have guidance and training from some of the world's most well known brands. Our goal with Jadarah is to open up opportunities for years to come and we look forward to seeing these young people progress" commented Abdullah Bin Nasser Al-Dawood, CEO, Al Tayyar Travel Group. Microsoft offered a full day session on the company's history and structure before focusing on artificial intelligence and the future of the company. Step Group offered candidates the full 360 view on start-ups, introduced them to the key players and influencers in the industry and organized a tour of a few of the top incubators and accelerators for the participants. They will also be hosting participants at STEP 2019 next month rendering them the opportunity to explore the innovation scene across the MENA region. Start-up and SMEs play another huge part in Vision 2030 with a goal being to increase GDP contribution from SMEs to 35% from 20% - so to have the opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of what it takes to set up your own business was invaluable to the group. The University of Manchester Middle East Centre focused on the more holistic side of effective business practices; including tutorials on stress management and emotional intelligence; both essential in the workplace and vital components of leadership. Through the AWS Activate program, AWS is offering credits to startups that join Jadarah, as well as technical support and other resources to help them develop and advance their cloud skills. The AWS Cloud gives entrepreneurs and startups the ability to build a business very quickly with much lower technology costs, allowing them to experiment as they pioneer new products and services. Commenting on the new partners, Laila Al Omran, Head of Jadarah, said "when we first launched Jadarah in May 2018, we had great partners such as Twitter, Facebook, Amadeus and Udacity join us. Since then, we have had the honor to welcome more industry leaders on board to support this initiative as it sparked great interest in the industry. Al Tayyar believes in nurturing young talent and is committed to empowering graduates with the tools and skills they need to excel in their career. As the program ends in two months, we have placed the graduates in various departments in line with their interests. Together with our partners, we hope to give them the knowledge and hands-on experience required in the current job market in the Middle East." Today technology sits at the core of every sector, which makes it one of the most important industries of the 21st century. Microsoft believes that the young minds looking to explore a career in IT must embrace what we call a ‘tech intensity' mindset, to develop digital capabilities for their organization and its customers - and drive tech adoption. "Our innovative technologies in combination with trainings, mentorships and platforms such as the Microsoft Cloud Society and Virtual Academy - are all aimed at empowering today›s youth to build their tech acumen, and contribute to the IT talent pool, and cater to the needs of our fast-changing world. Thus, contributing to a program like Jadarah was a great opportunity for both us and the students as we are committed to developing future leaders in the region," said Salma Bader, Director of Learning and Development, Microsoft Middle East and Africa." The University of Manchester Middle East Centre said "since our launch in the region in 2006, we have devoted significant time and effort to engage with the local community through various initiatives. A program like Jadarah is focused on learning and developments and we provide students with sessions on emotional intelligence and stress management to help them excel in their career," said Elena Agragimova, Manager, Careers & Alumni – Middle East Centre, The University of Manchester. Claudia Mortimer, Head of Conferences & Events, STEP Group, said "we believe in growing the start-up industry and offering youth in the region opportunities to grow. Supporting a program like Jadarah where the objective is to foster talent and provide connections to potential young entrepreneurs and intrapreneurs, is in line with our vision at STEP." — SG
