Orange Foundation Graduates the Fifth Cohort of the Coding Academy through the “Digital Upskills and Employment” Program
Orange Foundation Jordan, in the presence of the Secretary General of the Ministry of Digital Economy and Entrepreneurship for Administrative and Financial Affairs, Samira Al-Zoubi, representing His Excellency the Minister of Digital Economy and Entrepreneurship, Eng. Sami Smeirat, graduated the fifth cohort from the Coding Academy in Amman, which is the first cohort of the “Digital Skills Development and Employment” grant program. This program is funded by the Ministry of Digital Economy and Entrepreneurship as part of the “Youth, Technology and Jobs” project, which is supervised by the Digital Skills Association (Digiskills). It aims to supply the Jordanian labor market with digitally expert Jordanian youth who possess significant experience and knowledge in various technical fields. During the ceremony, 51 female and male students graduated in the field of software development.
The program, which was prepared by the Coding Academy in Amman and implemented under the umbrella of Orange Digital Centers (ODC), lasted for 5 months with 640 hours of intensive training, including 100 hours dedicated to advanced life skills eligible for employment, in addition to developing their English language skills. The program included training in a range of the most important programming and web application development languages, such as HTML5, CSS3, Javascript, PHP, MySQL, ReactJS, and Laravel.
In the fifth month, the participants joined a period of practical training in companies specialized in information technology and other sectors, where they had the opportunity to apply what they learned in a real work environment, which enhanced their digital skills, raised their readiness for the labor market, and contributed to increasing their job opportunities. The students have achieved great success in the program, with a graduation rate of 100%.
It is worth mentioning that about 40% of the graduates of this cohort have already succeeded in obtaining a job before they graduated from the program, and this percentage is expected to reach about 85% during the coming period, noting that a number of students may turn to entrepreneurial work.
The graduation ceremony was attended by prominent figures in the public and private sectors, along with several representatives of the leading technology companies in the Kingdom.
The Minister of Digital Economy and Entrepreneurship, Eng. Sami Smeirat, stressed that the development of digital skills is vital to keep pace with the requirements of future jobs, which are largely based on technology and digital transformation across various sectors. He explained that the Ministry believes in the importance of investing in digital competencies as a pillar for Jordan’s digital future. It works in partnership with the private sector and Digiskills to empower young people and qualify them with skills that meet the needs of the changing labor market to build a leadership generation capable of leading the digital transformation process in the Kingdom. Smeirat also pointed to the need to expand digital training programs according to an approach based on actual needs to ensure that the skills of young people are aligned with local and global requirements.
The CEO of Orange Jordan, Eng. Philippe Mansour, expressed his pride in the results of Orange Coding Academy. Since its launch five years ago, this program has developed intensive training to equip youth with both technical and life skills. He highlighted that the program has proven its effectiveness with over 80% of its graduates successfully securing employment. This reflects the program’s ability to prepare qualified professionals who meet the needs of the local market.
Eng. Mansour further commended the partnership with the Ministry of Digital Economy and Entrepreneurship, the Youth Technology & Jobs Project, and the Digital Skills Association. He emphasized that this collaboration will contribute to enhancing the capabilities of Jordanian youth, equipping them with the knowledge necessary for creativity and success in the digital sector.
In turn, the Board Member and Treasurer of the Digital Skills Association, Maher Al-Khaiyat, expressed his happiness and pride in the strategic partnership between the Digiskills and the Orange Foundation Jordan, which resulted in this remarkable achievement, as we worked together to empower Jordanian youth with advanced digital skills that open new horizons for them in the labor market. This first installment of the program reflects our shared commitment to building a brighter digital future and providing real opportunities for professional growth.”
The graduates of the Coding Academy, which is implemented under the umbrella of Orange Digital Centers (ODC), are the champions of change who seek to improve their lives and develop their skills in line with the needs of the labor market. The number of students who were trained reached more than 1,550 young men and women from different governorates in both the Coding Academy and the Coding School.
To learn more, please visit the website: www.orange.jo.