Saudi travel app Almosafer just announced the 2019 edition of its annual talent accelerator program Jadarah, during the STEP Conference held in Riyadh on March 25th.
Almosafer’s first edition of the accelerator came to an end 2 months ago in February, where it allowed 20 candidates from the region to learn about the biggest technology firms within the region, and maximize their career prospects in various employment sectors with tech-facing roles.
The accelerator Jadarah (which translates to ability in Arabic) was launched to foster and nurture the new wave of digital innovators and entrepreneurs from the Arab, which falls in line with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030. During its first edition, Jadarah has attracted industry giants such as Google, Twitter, Amadeus, Facebook, Step, and Udacity.
Abdullah bin Nasser Al-Dawood, CEO of Al-Tayyar Travel Group commented on the importance of Jadarah saying: “As a key initiative to support the youth in this region, we are pleased to have nurtured and developed local talent to excel in the Middle East’s digital space. We are looking forward to developing this culturally connected program further and following the journey of the first 20 candidates as they embark on the careers that will shape the future of the region.”
Through Jadarah, participants get to rub should with some of the most brilliant minds in the digital industry as they attend a series of workshops hosted by business experts, networking with industry leaders, and undergoing intensive job training.
Laila Al Omran, Head of Jadarah stated that Jadarah is a testament to the changing business environments across the region as it encourages the crucial diversification of the talent pool by offering the development of key skills required in today’s world.
“More than 50% of Jadarah graduates have been offered permanent roles at Al Tayyar and 30% have landed jobs in renowned organizations including Mubadala, Riyadh Airports Company, and top tier consultancy firms which further propels the impact of Jadarah and its talented graduates in the region. We are also very pleased that some of our partners have committed to supporting Jadarah again in 2019,” she said.
Benjamin Ampen, Managing Director, MENA, Twitter, said: “The constant evolution of the digital world requires us to consistently embrace and nurture new talent. Through the support of candidates, we are helping to strengthen the regional talent pool, assisting in the development of valued skills, and providing fast-track access to opportunities in the digital space. We’re building a platform for voices to be heard, and through the program, empowering youth with the tools needed to innovate, experiment and move at a real-world pace. The quality of candidates in the 2018 edition is a demonstration of the program’s success and the feedback received from those applicants reaffirms that success. Moving forward, Twitter will continue to be involved in Jadarah in an educational context, providing platform training, one-on-one mentoring and training on digital media as a whole.”
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