A non-profit organisation championing young people in the region has teamed up with TikTok to use social media to open pathways to the hi-tech jobs of the future.
Injaz Al-Arab, which has been operating for 20 years across the Middle East and North Africa, will use the video hosting service's vast online presence to promote job opportunities with some of the world's biggest companies in fast-emerging fields such as artificial intelligence.
The 'Are you Future Ready?' campaign features 10 videos on TikTok, in which experts from companies such as Microsoft, HSBC and Metlife will give insight into their jobs.
The initiative is aimed at young people across the Arab world, with a focus on those in conflict-areas.
Akef Aqrabawi, president of Injaz Al-Arab, said organisations need to become more creative to be able to engage with youths now that most of them use the social media platform.
“Our young people are not exposed to what is available in the marketplace, because there is not enough communication between different sectors,” he said.
“There needs to be proper communication to be able to engage the young people from different ages, schools and universities.
“They need to be able to understand what is available in the market and what skills are required to match that, so they can put a plan in place.”
He said that his organisation wanted to adopt a digital approach to reach young people.
A new way to connect with the youth
As of last year, TikTok had one billion global monthly active users, with more than 37.3 million users who are Generation Z — born between 1996 and 2012.
Mr Aqrabawi said it was the “best way” to reach youths in countries where his organisation does not have offices.
“Since 2000, we've been able to take Injaz from Jordan to the rest of the Arab countries. It took us almost 15 years to establish these offices in the region,” he added.
“We kept a traditional model where we worked closely with educational institutions, but after Covid-19 we’ve been able to think outside of the box.
“We don’t have offices in Syria or Libya, so to reach these students, we’ve formed new partnerships, like with TikTok, to reach these young people who badly need access to such information to create a better future.”
For the past two decades, Al-Arab has been connecting youths in the Mena region to industry leaders, helping them gain access to training and mentoring programmes.
The company said on its website that securing meaningful employment continues to be one of the “toughest challenges” facing youth in the region.
“Even as youth under the age of 25 make up 60 per cent of the population, a staggering 29 per cent of them are unemployed across the region,” it says on its website.
“That’s roughly 50 million individuals who are unable to access the labour market, lead fulfilling lives and drive economic prosperity in the region.
“This has led to a looming sense of despair among Mena youth, less than half of whom are optimistic about their country’s ability to fix the unemployment problem.
“Although many factors contribute to the issue, it is clear that one major problem is the disconnect between the skills young people are learning in school and those required by the rapidly changing job market.”
TikTok is popular among young people for its wide variety of short-form videos, featuring everything from dance routines to lip-synching and trending social media challenges.
The company has used its worldwide popularity to support important initiatives, including in the UAE.
Talal Al Fayez, TikTok’s head of public policy for the Middle East, North Africa and Turkey region, said the company previously worked with the Dubai Chamber, with the aim of helping small and medium businesses.
In the latest campaign, professionals employed in “future jobs” will speak about how artificial intelligence, cloud and other technology is involved in jobs across different sectors such as banking and health insurance.
“We have the videos scheduled to be released on a rolling basis until the end of June,” he said.
“The videos will show not only what the future jobs are, but also from the horse’s mouth what industry leaders within these future jobs are saying, how to prepare and upskill yourself, so you will be ready for these jobs.”
Sole survivors
- Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
- George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
- Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
- Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
Who are the Soroptimists?
The first Soroptimists club was founded in Oakland, California in 1921. The name comes from the Latin word soror which means sister, combined with optima, meaning the best.
The organisation said its name is best interpreted as ‘the best for women’.
Since then the group has grown exponentially around the world and is officially affiliated with the United Nations. The organisation also counts Queen Mathilde of Belgium among its ranks.
The burning issue
The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on
Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins
Read part one: how cars came to the UAE
THE BIO
Favourite place to go to in the UAE: The desert sand dunes, just after some rain
Who inspires you: Anybody with new and smart ideas, challenging questions, an open mind and a positive attitude
Where would you like to retire: Most probably in my home country, Hungary, but with frequent returns to the UAE
Favorite book: A book by Transilvanian author, Albert Wass, entitled ‘Sword and Reap’ (Kard es Kasza) - not really known internationally
Favourite subjects in school: Mathematics and science
Company profile
Name: Infinite8
Based: Dubai
Launch year: 2017
Number of employees: 90
Sector: Online gaming industry
Funding: $1.2m from a UAE angel investor
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-final, first leg
Barcelona v Liverpool, Wednesday, 11pm (UAE).
Second leg
Liverpool v Barcelona, Tuesday, May 7, 11pm
Games on BeIN Sports
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Planes grounded by coronavirus
British Airways: Cancels all direct flights to and from mainland China
Hong Kong-based Cathay Pacific: Cutting capacity to/from mainland China by 50 per cent from Jan. 30
Chicago-based United Airlines: Reducing flights to Beijing, Shanghai, and Hong Kong
Ai Seoul: Suspended all flights to China
Finnair: Suspending flights to Nanjing and Beijing Daxing until the end of March
Indonesia's Lion Air: Suspending all flights to China from February
South Korea's Asiana Airlines, Jeju Air and Jin Air: Suspend all flights
The biog
Name: Salvador Toriano Jr
Age: 59
From: Laguna, The Philippines
Favourite dish: Seabass or Fish and Chips
Hobbies: When he’s not in the restaurant, he still likes to cook, along with walking and meeting up with friends.
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Discuss your assets and debts: When married, it’s important to understand each other’s personal financial situation. It’s necessary to know upfront what each party brings to the table, as debts and assets affect spending habits and joint loan qualifications. Discussing all aspects of their finances as a couple prevents anyone from being blindsided later.
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Money date nights: Talking about money should be a healthy, ongoing conversation and couples should not wait for something to go wrong. They should set time aside every month to talk about future financial decisions and see the progress they’ve made together towards accomplishing their goals.
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Wayne Rooney 53
Bobby Charlton 49
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Jimmy Greaves 44
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A delicious vegetarian snack or starter. It consists of thinly sliced, fried then cooled aubergine smothered with a thick and creamy walnut sauce and folded or rolled. Take note, even though it seems like you should be able to pick these morsels up with your hands, they’re not as durable as they look. A knife and fork is the way to go.
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- During your morning skincare routine, name five things you are thankful for about yourself.
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Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)
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A food calorie, or kilocalorie, is a measure of nutritional energy generated from what is consumed.
One calorie, is the amount of heat needed to raise the temperature of 1 kilogram of water by 1°C.
A kilocalorie represents a 1,000 true calories of energy.
Energy density figures are often quoted as calories per serving, with one gram of fat in food containing nine calories, and a gram of protein or carbohydrate providing about four.
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A fraudulent investment operation where the scammer provides fake reports and generates returns for old investors through money paid by new investors, rather than through ligitimate business activities.
The biog
Favourite car: Ferrari
Likes the colour: Black
Best movie: Avatar
Academic qualifications: Bachelor’s degree in media production from the Higher Colleges of Technology and diploma in production from the New York Film Academy
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The alternatives
• Founded in 2014, Telr is a payment aggregator and gateway with an office in Silicon Oasis. It’s e-commerce entry plan costs Dh349 monthly (plus VAT). QR codes direct customers to an online payment page and merchants can generate payments through messaging apps.
• Business Bay’s Pallapay claims 40,000-plus active merchants who can invoice customers and receive payment by card. Fees range from 1.99 per cent plus Dh1 per transaction depending on payment method and location, such as online or via UAE mobile.
• Tap started in May 2013 in Kuwait, allowing Middle East businesses to bill, accept, receive and make payments online “easier, faster and smoother” via goSell and goCollect. It supports more than 10,000 merchants. Monthly fees range from US$65-100, plus card charges of 2.75-3.75 per cent and Dh1.2 per sale.
• 2checkout’s “all-in-one payment gateway and merchant account” accepts payments in 200-plus markets for 2.4-3.9 per cent, plus a Dh1.2-Dh1.8 currency conversion charge. The US provider processes online shop and mobile transactions and has 17,000-plus active digital commerce users.
• PayPal is probably the best-known online goods payment method - usually used for eBay purchases - but can be used to receive funds, providing everyone’s signed up. Costs from 2.9 per cent plus Dh1.2 per transaction.
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Match info
What: Fifa Club World Cup play-off
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When: Wednesday, kick off 7.30pm
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TV: Match on BeIN Sports
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Syria v Australia
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Watch: beIN Sports HD
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