Cairo, December 18, 2016
—IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, and the Information Technology Industry Development Agency (ITIDA) have launched an initiative to improve the employability of Egypt’s Information and Communications Technology (ICT) graduates.
IFC and ITIDA have helped develop Egypt’s first National Competence Framework (NCF), which will bridge the skills gap in the ICT sector by improving the quality of education and training offered to graduates. The framework’s aim is to articulate the competencies, knowledge and skills required by the private sector to educational and training institutions.
IFC provided technical support to ITIDA to help it launch the new framework and will continue to work closely with the agency to ensure it is embedded in all ICT-related education and training over the coming year.
The NCF was launched at an event today attended by key stakeholders. During the event, ITIDA signed Memorandums of Understanding with seven ICT companies and action plans with two private universities to begin implementing the ICT NCF in their respective operations and curricula.
Egypt has an abundant and sustainable pool of talented, technologically skilled, and multilingual university graduates. Many initiatives executed by the Egyptian government are geared towards closing the gap between the academia output and industry requirements.
“The NCF launch within the ICT industry, training providers and academia is a milestone for the sector’s talent development initiatives,” said Asmaa Hosny, CEO of ITIDA. She added, “The framework aims to boost employment opportunities within the sector and create a sustainable mechanism to continuously develop talent in partnership with the industry.”
The NCF is part of IFC’s E4E ICT project, which helps develop market- relevant education and training, and encourage dialogue between the private sector and academia. The ICT sector contributes to approximately 3.2 percent of Egypt’s GDP and employs about 500,000 people. The quality of the sector’s workforce remains one of the critical factors contributing to its competitiveness.
“This new framework will help bridge the current skills gap between the sector’s hiring companies and the available pool of graduates,” said Sufyan Abed Alhameed M. Al Issa, IFC Regional Skill Program Lead, MENA. “It will also help the ICT sector realize its potential of becoming a key contributor to the country’s economic development.”
The project is part of IFC and World Bank Group strategy in the Middle East and North Africa to create jobs and reduce youth unemployment, one of Egypt’s key challenges, through private sector participation and development.
The E4E ICT project is also in line with the Egyptian government’s aim to develop the country’s ICT industry to increase its global competitiveness and spur economic growth.
The project is funded by the United Kingdom’s Department for International Development (DfID), the Swiss State Secretariat of Economic Affairs (SECO), the Government of the Netherlands, and the Islamic Development Bank.
About the World Bank Group
The World Bank Group is one of the world's largest sources of funding and knowledge for developing countries. It comprises five closely associated institutions: the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) and the International Development Association (IDA), which together form the World Bank; the International Finance Corporation (IFC); the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA); and the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID). Each institution plays a distinct role in the mission to fight poverty and improve living standards for people in the developing world. For more information, please visit
www.worldbank.org
,
www.miga.org
, and
www.ifc.org
.
About ITIDA
Information Technology Industry Development Agency was founded in 2004 as an executive IT arm of the Ministry Of Communications and Information Technology to spearhead the process of developing Egyptian IT industry. ITIDA aspires to build momentum in IT industry, by making Egypt one of the top global hubs for technology and business services, the agency strives to further develop Egypt`s competitive advantages for FDIs seeking to enhance their global offering and help IT industry increase IT/ITES exports. ITIDA works with entrepreneurial spirit to serve public and private bodies, industry players and associations, universities, and individuals to help grow Egyptian IT industry.
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