ictQATAR collaborates with Silatech, Microsoft to create digital employability resources for the region

Through this network of portals, eRADA aims to provide employability and entrepreneurship opportunities to over a million young people throughout the region over the next five years.

There are now over 100 million young people between 15 and 29 in the Arab world, the highest proportion in the region's history. The Arab world also has the world's highest percentage of youth unemployment.

"Online resources have the potential to provide widespread access to much-needed support, especially outside urban centres. Too often, however, language barriers, inadequate digital access, or a simple lack of awareness create obstacles which prevent the region's youth from utilizing them." said Silatech's Senior Advisor - Employability, Jo Aggarwal. "Through Silatech's eRADA initiative with Microsoft, we are working to bring together an ecosystem of partners to create unprecedented access to high quality online employability and entrepreneurship resources. We welcome ictQATAR's contribution to eRADA and look forward to the next phase of our partnership," she added.

"The objectives of the eRADA initiative synergize with ictQATAR projects such as TumuhaTEC which helps young people achieve their full potential in the ICT sector and the Digital Innovation Center which offers digital entrepreneurs the know-how and expertise to turn their ideas into viable businesses," said Hassan Al-Sayed, Assistant Secretary General, ICT Government Programs, ictQATAR, adding, "Through this collaboration we will also support eRADA web portals through specially planned joint outreach activities."

In early 2013, eRADA will develop and launch Ta3mal.com, a regional youth employability and entrepreneurship portal which will bring together in one place a variety of resources from international and local partners, including e-learning, internships, mentoring, career guidance and entrepreneurship resources.