The five-star Four Seasons Hotel Amman calls itself the “crown jewel” in the heart of Jordan’s capital city—and landing a job there is 21-year-old Yassin Al Khatib’s crowning achievement. That was possible thanks to the career-focused skills that Al Khatib—the youngest of five children of unemployed parents—acquired at Luminus Technical University College.
When Al Khatib was considering hotel- and restaurant-management programs, the combination of academic and practical learning that Luminus offered appealed to him. (At that time, it was a private community college known as Al Quds.) He knew that local employers liked it, too.
As his studies progressed, school administrators and staff members connected him to potential bosses and prepped him for interviews. As graduation approached, the job offer arrived, too. He felt ready for the challenge. “In real life, you need to be able to think critically, which I’ve learned here,” says Al Khatib.
Luminus has helped provide Jordan with workers whose skills are tailored to the needs of the national and regional economy. That’s due in large part to the vision of Luminus’ owner, Ibrahim Al Safadi. The Al Safadi family took over Al Quds, the community colege, in 1999 and launched Luminus Education in 2007 to consolidate operations that included many educational programs. Luminus’ programs aim to tackle the severe skills mismatch between workers and employers throughout Jordan. The emphasis is on vocational studies that help students like Al Khatib secure employment immediately after graduation. Luminus also began offering degree-level programs last year.
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