Injaz & ARAMEX launch Pan Arab 'Student Company Competition' to scout future businessmen and leaders

ARAMEX sponsors this first of its kind initiative targeting schools and universities students of the age of 15 to 20 years old with a view to develop their leadership qualities and skills as individuals and in a collective. The students will actually play the role of businessmen, setting up companies with fixed capital and administrative and HR structures, following a series of concentrated and result-oriented entrepreneurial courses.

For its 25th anniversary, ARAMEX reiterated its commitment to contribute to the sustainable development of the region with a focus on growing the talents in the societies where the company operates. The company launched a number of initiatives to celebrate innovation specifically in the Arab world, and highlight the unique success stories that are intended to inspire the young Arab innovators.

Speaking at the press briefing organized in Dubai to unveil the 'Student Company Competition', Ms. Soraya Salti, Senior Vice President of MENA for Junior Achievement Worldwide, said: "In this exciting effort driven by the private sector, INJAZ al-Arab is creating a new generation of business-oriented youth who will become entrepreneurs and employees of choice of corporations. Success should be built on a solid platform of education, knowledge, skills and innovation above all. We are confident that our students will be significantly inspired by the great achievements of the region's pioneers such as ARAMEX.

"This initiative is part of Junior Achievement Worldwide's international network, in which 7.5 million students participated in 116 countries in 2006."

Each week ARAMEX volunteers will offer practical training and insight to the professional business environment to the students in the local schools and universities. For ten weeks, the students will learn about competition, marketing, and how the banking sector supports businesses and industries while developing skills in leadership, planning, and teamwork as well as presentations, CV writing, and job hunting.

Hussein Hachem, ARAMEX Vice President for the UAE and Oman said: "Injaz - ARAMEX Student Company Competition incorporates the very values that distinguished our company since inception, with a focus on nurturing and developing local talents that have the knowledge and expertise to meet challenges all over the world. We are confident that this initiative will set the standards for a larger involvement of corporates in the development of the Arab youth and the growth of the societies in this region."

The candidates are requested to set up an enterprise as part of the "Company Course" which includes concept, feasibility study, stocks sale, administrative and HR structures, business plan, design and sale of a product or service, and liquidation of the company, often with dividends.

The national competition winners will take part in the regional challenge to be held in Jordan under the patronage of Her Highness Queen Rania Al Abdullah with candidates from six Arab countries including Jordan, Palestine, Kuwait, Egypt, Oman and UAE. Moreover they will have the exclusive opportunity to voice their concerns and aspirations during the next World Economic Forum which is organized in Jordan this May.