Reiterating its engagement with the local community, Silatech, the regional social organization that works on connecting Arab youth to jobs and expanding local economic opportunities, and in partnership with Occidental Petroleum of Qatar (OXY) and Texas A&M University at Qatar, held Nasmou training from May 9 to 12, 2016 at Texas A&M University at Qatar.

Developed in partnership between Silatech, Oxy Qatar and Texas A&M at Qatar, Nasmou is a four-day program that aims to equip Qatari students with the necessary skills and mind set to ease their transition into the workplace and ultimately become the nation’s future leaders. It provides leadership insights and tackles many important issues including demonstrative and cultural intelligence, team work, and ways to face challenges, as well as overcoming cultural boundaries and success in a multicultural environment.

The unique program exposed the students to four different themed workshops in the four days.

The theme “Setting the Scene”, was held on the first day with the objectives to clarify to the students the ways to establish the ground rules, which will create a safe learning environment for the course, build working relationships with fellow participants, and to understand the complexities of operating in a workplace.

Students learnt how to work effectively in a team where they explored diversity and differences of opinion and experience and the effectiveness of team work, including ways to question, listen and communicate, thus achieving a high performing team. The participants attended also a master class on qualities of a global leader. Themes explored were Emotional Intelligence, Cultural Intelligence, Time Management, and Conflict Management.

In the second day of the program, students got introduced to Emotional Intelligence and Cultural Intelligence and the relation between the two concepts. The objective was to understand the importance of Cultural Intelligence (CQ) in a globalised world and show how is CQ used to manage personal stress and negotiate conflict in the workplace and the importance of questioning and listening.

“Leading Change” was the theme of day three, where students got a first-hand insight into operating in a professional environment and work on a real-life workplace challenge. During the day, students also discussed the Creative Collaboration among the team members and how to develop solutions to the challenges.

On the last day of the program, students learnt how to implement their skills in their careers and discussed the workshop’s main elements with  a panel of stakeholders from Occidental, Silatech and Texas A&M at Qatar.

Upon completion of the program, selected students were offered an internship opportunity at Oxy Qatar to further develop their skills and apply what they have learned in real-life experiences.

Silatech Qatar Country Manager Sheikha Alanoud bint Hamad Al-Thani said: “We are continuing to partner with various universities in Qatar to implement the Nasmou program and equipping more students with the “soft skills” needed to ease their transition from school to work. Nasmou program exemplifies the type of coordination between the private sector, academia and non-profit organizations that is necessary to produce a high-quality graduates who can meet the demands of Qatar’s economy. This is why are proud of our partnership with Oxy Qatar and Texas A&M at Qatar that contributes to achieving Silatech’s vision in having an Arab world in which young people are able to work and are engaged in the economic development of their societies.

Mr. Stephen Kelly, President and General Manager, Occidental Petroleum of Qatar Limited (Oxy Qatar), said: “Oxy Qatar is pleased to partner again with Silatech, and with Texas A&M at Qatar for the first time, to support the Nasmou program. After its success at Qatar University, Nasmou is being extended to cover additional universities. Programs such as Nasmou provide students the opportunity to explore real-life experience in the workplace and help them develop ways to decrease stress and increase productivity, motivate and inspire them to take charge of their career direction, and equip them with the tools to cope with and adapt to changes in their working environment.

Dr. Ann L. Kenimer, Interim Dean of Texas A&M University at Qatar: “Aggies are lifelong learners, so opportunities such as this are perfect settings for the further development of their leadership skills. Navigating culturally diverse environments, understanding emotional intelligence and building social competencies are paramount in the modern workplace, so this workshop is certainly a valuable experience. Thank you to our partners OXY and Silatech for their support in the continuing development of both our current and former students.”

Silatech, a regional social organization that works to create jobs and expand economic opportunities for young Arabs, has signed a partnership agreement with the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) to empower youth and promote employment in Gaza, the State of Palestine.

The agreement – signed by Mr. Mohammed al-Naimi, Acting CEO of Silatech, and Mr. Omar Rifai, Head of the Arab Partnerships Unit at UNRWA, on 15 February 2016 at Silatech’s headquarters in Doha, Qatar – aims to provide baseline training courses focused on key construction and health and safety skills to youth in Gaza who are interested in pursuing jobs or currently employed in the construction sector.

“This agreement will support our mission in connecting Arab youth to job opportunities,” said Mr. al-Naimi. “It is another step towards achieving the vision of our founder, H.H. Sheikha Moza bint Naser, in having an Arab world in which young people are able to work and are engaged in the economic development of their societies.”

As part of the agreement, Silatech will make available its technical and vocational education and training (TVET) programme, modules and training manuals. These materials are designed to assess the skills and knowledge required of those working in the construction sector to perform their work effectively and safely.

Thanking Silatech, Mr. Rifai noted, “The signing of this MOU signifies another important step, not only in serving the youth of Palestine, but also in strengthening further the UNRWA-Qatari relationship for the benefit of all Palestine refugees.”

UNRWA currently manages two TVET centres in Gaza. The two centres offer approximately 50 regular courses and employ over 200 hundred staff. As the most reputable organization in Gaza delivering technical and vocational education and training, UNRWA has extensive experience in delivering vocational short-term training courses for vulnerable groups in high-demand fields in the local market, including construction.

Qatar University’s College of Engineering (QU-CENG) has carried out the second edition of the  pilot “Nasmou” program in collaboration with Silatech and Occidental Petroleum Qatar (Oxy Qatar).

40 female engineering students participated in the program, which ran September 7-10; the program follows the success of the first edition held in February that engaged 40 male students. The specially-designed personal training program is delivered by the Common Purpose Charitable Trust, a UK-based organization that runs leadership development programs around the world.

In the program, national students at CENG are equipped with the necessary skills, competencies and mindset to ensure their transition into the workplace, and help them to better channel their emotions and responses, as well as overcome cultural boundaries and succeed in a multicultural environment.

The 4-day workshop provided the female students with opportunities to explore out-of-the-classroom real-life experiences in the workplace. They attended orientation sessions delivered by senior executives from Oxy Qatar, who mentored them on strategic techniques and exercises.

On completion of the program, selected students will be offered an internship opportunity at Oxy Qatar to further strengthen and apply the skills they gained during the workshop.

Commenting on the program, CENG Dean Dr Rashid Alammari said: “It serves to highlight the stimulating teaching/learning environment at CENG and continuous efforts by the college to promote active learning initiatives that take students beyond the classroom into the real world of work. Participating in a program such as this motivates our students towards academic excellence and enhances their competitiveness in the fast-changing labor market. It also spotlights QU’s ongoing mission to shape future leaders and professionals who will actively contribute to the country’s stated ambitions towards a knowledge-based economy.”

Silatech Qatar Country Operations Manager Sheikha Alanoud bint Hamad Al-Thani said: “The Nasmou program is designed to complement the academic rigor of a university education with a focus on the more intangible “soft skills” that help to ease the transition from school to work. This fits well with Silatech’s mission to help young people prepare for the workplace. Nasmou also exemplifies the type of coordination between the private sector, academia and nonprofit institutions that is necessary to produce the type of high-quality graduates which can meet the demands of Qatar’s economy.”

Silatech has joined forces with www.Nabbesh.com, the Middle East’s only virtual skills marketplace, to connect talented individuals in Palestine with flexible and virtual work opportunities across the region, in a first of its kind campaign to address the region’s growing unemployment challenge.

Launching today, Fursati, meaning “my opportunity,” is a pilot program by Silatech and Nabbesh to create virtual jobs for youth in Palestine. Fursati aims to encourage businesses based mainly in the Gulf region to leverage the education and expertise of expert Palestinian talent to get work done remotely. To the Palestinians, Fursati will become a means for them to access quality jobs and earn a guaranteed income and reviews via Nabbesh.com.

Palestinian youth are highly educated, motivated, and eager to work. Yet their job prospects are severely limited, with youth unemployment reaching close to 50%. Remote work is one of the few available options, particularly in the areas of jobs that are in high demand on Nabbesh such as design, writing and translation, web development, admin and data entry. This program is designed to help qualified freelancers apply for and land jobs in companies internationally.

Both Silatech and Nabbesh.com have a commitment to empowering youth employment across the Arab World.  Nabbesh.com is the Middle East’s only virtual skills marketplace and was founded in 2012 as a solution for the region’s growing unemployment challenges; it connects talented individuals with flexible and virtual work opportunities. Since its inception Nabbesh.com has connected over 5000 startups, small and medium companies, as well as multinational organizations, with a community of over 65,000 freelancers from the Middle East and North Africa region. Silatech is a non-profit regional social initiative with a mission to connect young people throughout the Arab world with employment and enterprise opportunities. Working with over 100 partners in 15 countries, Silatech programs have created or sustained over 140,000 jobs since 2009.

The goal of Fursati is to create jobs and career development opportunities for Palestinian youth, while providing talented freelancers to meet the needs of employers. There are a number of benefits for freelancers participating in the program:

• Opportunity to gain experience working for companies internationally.
• Earn ratings on Nabbesh.com that will help get more jobs in the future.
• Make money working remotely
• All wire transfer fees are covered by the project

In addition to providing employers in the region with the opportunity to hire qualified remote workers at an affordable rate through www.Nabbesh.com, Fursati is providing additional incentives to employers:

• All Nabbesh and wire transfer fees for employers are covered by the project, saving employers money
• All employers who create 5 or more jobs will be featured along other socially responsible employers on the project channels

To post a relevant job as part of the Fursati campaign, employers can visit www.nabbesh.com and enter the promo code Fursati.

For project news and updates, www.blog.nabbesh/fursati will be the online touchpoint for helpful articles and more.

Nabbesh and Silatech are currently facilitating workshops in Palestine, as well as online videos and webinars, to help teach freelancers how to apply, create a good resume and cover letter, and produce work which meets or surpasses the professional standards needed by employers.

Loulou Khazen Baz, Founder of www.Nabbesh.com says

“2/3 of the population in the Arab world is under the age of 30. They have grown up on the Internet and smartphones. We believe that empowering them to find employment online is a natural extension of what they are already doing. It also represents the future of the global economy. Fursati will encourage both awareness of remote or virtual work as a viable option to employers whilst providing employment options for young people and securing their payment in an area of the region where opportunities are lowest, but talent is high.”

Dr. Rachel Awad, Associate Director of Employability at Silatech, says:

“Relevant experience can be difficult to gain when competing with workers from across the Middle East. The relatively small geographical area of Palestine allows Fursati to do workshops on the ground where we can train freelancers on how to apply, create a strong virtual work portfolio, and conduct work to the professional standards needed by employers.”

“Training and workshops help prequalify them to apply for jobs posted on Nabbesh that are eligible only for participants in this program. This means that they have a better chance at landing their first job, which in turn will increase their chance of future jobs and hopefully building a career.”

As part of an ongoing effort to provide opportunities for young people in the Somali territories, Silatech and local partner Shaqodoon have launched a “One Stop Shop” (OSS) center for youth employment and business support services in the Somali capital of Mogadishu. This is the third in a series of One Stop Shops now open and bridging the gap between job seekers and the local business community.

Located in the main city centers of Hargeisa, Bosaso, and now Mogadishu, and easily accessible to both youth and employers, these One Stop Shops serve as knowledge, advice and career guidance hubs for young job seekers and entrepreneurs, as well as for business owners looking for skilled youth to employ. OSS services for job seekers include work readiness training (CV writing, interview practice, communications), career guidance, work placement, and financial literacy training. The OSS centers make use of Shaqodoon’s existing SMS-based platform to connect young people directly with jobs, internships and training opportunities. As direct linkage with employers is an essential part of the OSS strategy, over 300 private sector employers will be registered and trained in the three cities in order to participate in Shaqodoon’s own employment platform.

Aspiring young entrepreneurs are now able to access entrepreneurship training and business development services. Those who successfully complete training are linked with the two leading microfinance partner institutions in Somalia/Somaliland, MicroDahab and Kaah Islamic Microfinance Services (KIMS).

Youth employment and entrepreneurship programs are needed in Somalia. According to the UN, over 70 percent of Somalia’s population is under the age of 30. The country has one of the highest youth unemployment rates in the world—at 67 percent—and six out of every 10 Somalis intend to leave the country in order to pursue better economic opportunities elsewhere.

Amaal Abukar, Project Officer for Somalia at Silatech, said “The lives of young Somalis have been shaped by a quarter of a century of violent turmoil and lost opportunities for self-actualization. One effective method for combating youth unemployment lies in establishing youth centers and providing access to finance for aspiring entrepreneurs. This will help to encourage the establishment of new enterprises and foster a culture of entrepreneurship and economic prosperity throughout Somalia.”

Mustafa Othman, Program Manager at Shaqodoon, said “Shaqodoon equips and empowers Somali youth to gain long term livelihood opportunities through employment and entrepreneurship. This new OSS program will provide significant training, facilitate access to capital, offer career guidance, and provide support services to business start-ups within a broad base of beneficiaries including youth job-seekers, existing youth led local businesses, and aspiring entrepreneurs. The program also aims to help youth realize their full potential and gain access to meaningful work opportunities, thus contributing to an environment of peace and prosperity.”

Silatech is a regional social initiative that works with partners throughout the Arab world to promote large-scale job creation, entrepreneurship, access to capital and markets, and the participation and engagement of young people in economic and social development. Shaqodoon is a youth-serving NGO that provides Somali youth with skills training, access to work, internships and self-employment opportunities.

On June 1, the United Nations concluded a “High-Level Event on the Demographic Dividend and Youth Employment.” Held at the UN headquarters in New York, the event convened ministers and high-level government officials from over 50 countries involved in addressing the youth employment challenge in their respective countries.

The event was organized by the President of the United Nations General Assembly, the United Nations Population Fund, and the International Labour Organization. Qatar was represented by Ms. Maha Isa Al Rumaihi, Director of the Department of Planning and Quality Assurance at the Ministry of Youth and Sports, Ms. Amal Al Mannai, Executive President of Qatar Foundation for Social Work, as well as members of Qatar’s mission to the UN.

In recognition of its leading role in developing and supporting innovative programming aimed at creating economic opportunities for Arab youth, Silatech was invited by the International Labour Organization to participate in one of two expert panels organized as part of the event. The panel was titled “What Policies and Measures are needed to Create Opportunities for Youth Employment?” Silatech is a regional social initiative that works to create jobs and expand economic opportunities for young Arabs.

Over the past two decades, the Arab region has had the largest proportion of youth in its population of any region in the world. This demographic wave has placed pressure on both the education systems and the labor markets of Arab countries. Indeed, for over 20 years now, the Arab region has had the highest youth unemployment rates in the world by far, reaching close to 30 percent in 2015.

When asked what countries could do to improve the identification and promotion of youth employment solutions that work, Silatech Director of Research and Policy Dr. Nader Kabbani, who participated in the panel on behalf of Silatech, noted that “The youth employment challenge cannot be solved without creating jobs. In most countries, this means supporting the growth of micro- and small enterprises as the main engine of job creation.”

Drawing on Silatech’s experience, Dr. Kabbani identified a number of promising programs and interventions that have been successful in helping young people connect to economic opportunities, including school-based work experience and career guidance, increasing financial inclusion through online crowdfunding solutions, and supporting social entrepreneurship.

Participants in the event noted that successfully addressing the youth employment challenge requires the collaboration of the public sector, private sector, civil society in each country.  Only with each sector playing a role and working together can countries help young people reach their full potential.

On Friday, May 22, the official launch of the revamped Tounes Ta3mal youth employability platform took place in front of an audience of over 150 job seekers and students, along with representatives from career centers and universities, NGOs, and the Ministry of Higher Education & Scientific Research.

The original Tounes Ta3mal (tounes.ta3mal.com) was launched in October 2013 by regional co-founders Silatech and Microsoft, connecting Tunisian youth with tools, resources, career guidance, training and job opportunities to help them launch careers and start businesses.

Version 2.0 of the platform offers a more complete end-to-end experience—from developing one’s career profile, access to career counseling online and in-person, e-learning courses, entrepreneurship training, advice on preparing a CV, and job openings relevant to youth just starting their careers—all with a more accessible and easy to use interface.

This new version was made possible thanks to the contribution of initiative partners Edupartage, MercyCorps, Education for Employment, AIESEC Tunisia, USAID, Ooredoo Tunisia, the American Chamber of Commerce (Tunisia), and ATUGE.

Tounes Ta3mal Project Manager Mohamed Ali Chebaane commented, “We are constantly seeking to improve Tounes Ta3mal by listening to and incorporating feedback from our users—young Tunisians—as well as from our local partners. Tounes Ta3mal 2.0 provides greater usability, more localized Tunisian content, and a wealth of rich new multimedia content which will assist youth in their search for employment.”

The launch was centered on content-driven workshops that demonstrated the resources on the platform. They covered important topics including:

• “Tamheed,” a psychometric assessment tool used to define important career choices;
• A unique workshop delivered by Mercy Corps on financial education as a critical factor for success;
• How to use the “Build Your Business” entrepreneurship curriculum as a first step in preparing to launch a startup business; and,
• The important role of Career Development Centers in universities to deliver key career counseling with the support of USAID, Pragma and the Ministry of Higher Education.

The day’s presentations concluded with an interactive panel of HR experts representing four major Tunisian companies including Orange, Land d’Or, Crown Cork & Seal and Bonna Tunisia. They shared practical advice about the Tunisian labor market, CV writing techniques, job search skills, and techniques for a successful job interview. The youth in the audience had the opportunity to ask them questions and engage in an active dialogue.

Thanks to contributions from over 65 local partners, Ta3mal now has specialized country portals developed for Egypt, Qatar, Iraq, Tunisia, Palestine and Morocco, with the latest being launched in May 2015 in Algeria. Over 4000 employers from throughout the region are now registered on the Ta3mal network, posting almost 58,000 job opportunities since Ta3mal’s inception.

In Tunisia, Ta3mal is connected with the “Najja7ni Employment” mobile app launched by Ooredoo Tunisia (formerly Tunisiana), which provides quick and easy access from 2G mobile phones to English language assessments, career guidance, and job opportunities.

Unemployed young Algerians and aspiring entrepreneurs now have the opportunity to realize their ambitions and start their working lives through the new Djazair (Algeria) Ta3mal (djazair.ta3mal.com) employability portal.  Founded in April 2012 by Silatech and Microsoft, Ta3mal is a regional network with specialized country online portals developed for Egypt, Qatar, Iraq, Tunisia, Algeria, Palestine and Morocco. Silatech and Microsoft are regional co-partners, while at the local level, over 65 partners from the non-profit, educational, governmental and private sectors provide specialized content, job opportunities and access to services appropriate for each country.

Silatech is a regional social initiative that works to create jobs and expand economic opportunities for young people throughout the Arab world.

In Algeria, Ta3mal is being implemented in partnership with Emploitic, World Learning and AIESEC, who will bring their knowledge and expertise in training, supervision and support for young people, contribute to content development, and ensure that Djazair Ta3mal is adapted for the specific needs of young Algerian job seekers and entrepreneurs.

Youth unemployment is a longstanding and acute problem in the Arab world. At 30 percent, Arab countries have the highest rate of youth unemployment of any region in the world. According to the International Labour Organisation, youth unemployment in Algeria stands at 24 percent.

Djazair Ta3mal provides job seekers with career guidance and advisory services, skills training, and access to over 700 online courses in order to enhance their professional skills, in addition to openings for entry level jobs. The portal offers young entrepreneurs essential information about how to set up and finance a business. Importantly, Djazair Ta3mal offers employers the opportunity to recruit qualified young job seekers that meet their employment needs.

At a Wednesday ceremony launching Djazair Ta3mal, Ta3mal National Project Manager Ghizlane Zouai said: “Young Algerians using Djazair Ta3mal will benefit from free and easy access to a wealth of tools that will help ease their path into the world of work or entrepreneurship. I would like to thank all the partners who are providing the tools and expertise that make Djazair Ta3mal an invaluable resource for both young job seekers as well as employers.”

Yehia Houry, Ta3mal Regional Manager at Silatech, said enthusiastically: “We are very pleased to welcome Algeria into a growing network of employability platforms that has engaged more than one million young people across the region. We look forward to growing our partner base in Algeria to help us achieve our mission of supporting young people to find jobs or open their own businesses.”

Following a demonstration of the Djazair Ta3mal platform at the Wednesday launch, university student Ons Gharbi said, “We see that Djazair Ta3mal is rich in content, and a different type of platform from other job sites. Youth need such a portal to help and guide them in their job search, as well as if they choose to become entrepreneurs and launch businesses.”