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Zawya
29-06-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Boursa Kuwait and Markaz empower Kuwaiti youth with UNICODE
In its fifth edition, CODED Academy's UNICODE Program aims to equip over 300 participants with the technical skills to thrive in an evolving and competitive job market Kuwait City – Boursa Kuwait and the Kuwait Financial Centre 'Markaz' continued their strategic partnership with CODED Academy, sponsoring the fifth edition of the Academy's UNICODE Program, which targets over 300 university students and recent graduates across three cohorts from August to October 2025. The program, hosted by Boursa Kuwait at its premises, aims to equip participants with essential coding and programming skills, thereby enhancing their readiness to compete in the rapidly evolving digital job market. It features specialized training tracks in cybersecurity as well as mobile application and web development, offering participants a wide range of potential career pathways. Since its inception in 2021, the program has benefited over 750 students from diverse academic disciplines. The UNICODE Program's fifth edition will commence on August 9 and is comprised of three intensive two-week training cohorts, culminating in a graduation ceremony to be held in November. Participants will undergo hands-on training in a range of essential technical skills, including website development using HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, mobile application development using the Flutter platform as well as foundational cybersecurity and digital safety practices. 'Boursa Kuwait firmly believes that investing in human capital is the cornerstone of any meaningful development and that Kuwaiti youth are the driving force behind a sustainable future,' said Mr. Naser Al-Sanousi, Boursa Kuwait's Senior Director of Marketing and Communication. 'Our strategic partnership with CODED Academy, along with our sponsorship and hosting of the UNICODE Program, reflects this belief, reaffirming our commitment to initiatives that bridge the gap between academic knowledge and the evolving needs of the Kuwaiti labor market. These efforts are also an embodiment of Boursa Kuwait's strategic commitment to building a knowledge-based society capable of driving digital transformation and enhancing national competitiveness,' he added. Boursa Kuwait will host the program's workshops and interactive training sessions at its headquarters, which has been equipped with state-of-the-art facilities designed to offer students a stimulating learning environment that mirrors real-world professional settings and inspires them to explore promising career opportunities in the financial sector. 'Boursa Kuwait is proud to host UNICODE at its premises, reinforcing the connection between program participants and capital markets,' Al-Sanousi said. This year's edition of the program introduces enhanced content through the integration of financial technology (FinTech) and artificial intelligence concepts across all training tracks, an approach that reflects Boursa Kuwait's strategic focus on innovation as a key driver of sustainable development. The program also aims to empower participants to devise practical solutions to the contemporary challenges of the financial sector, expanding their professional horizons and supporting their long-term career growth. 'The fifth edition of this program serves as an effective bridge between academic aspirations and practical application in the workplace, representing a true launchpad for innovation. By supporting this initiative, we aim to help prepare a generation equipped with the skills and capabilities to drive Kuwait's economic growth and support its efforts for diversification. I would like to extend my sincere appreciation to CODED Academy for its instrumental role in nurturing young talent and enhancing their skills, and I wish all participants continued success in their pursuit of excellence and innovation,' added Al-Sanousi. The strategic partnership between Boursa Kuwait and 'Markaz' with CODED Academy and sponsorship of its UniCODE program forms part of both companies' efforts to develop and educate Kuwaiti society and create a lasting meaningful impact on the communities where they operate. Part of their Corporate Sustainability (CS) strategies, the initiative is also in line with Goal 4 – Quality Education – and Goal 17 – Partnership for the Goals - of the UN's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Senior Vice President of Wealth Management and Business Development Ms. Maryam Al-Rifae also spoke about the partnership with CODED Academy, stating, 'Markaz takes great pride in being one of the earliest supporters of CODED Academy since its inception. This marks our fourth sponsorship of the academy's initiatives since 2019, a commitment that underscores our dedication to fostering innovation and entrepreneurship in Kuwait. It also reflects our broader vision of empowering youth to pursue promising fields such as programming and coding, while reinforcing our belief in human capital development as a cornerstone of our corporate social responsibility strategy.' She added, 'Technology has become an essential part of everyday life, and we have a responsibility as institutions to nurture this shift by cultivating an environment conducive to the growth of start-ups and the development of competitive, homegrown tech solutions. A recent McKinsey report found that supporting educational tech initiatives like the UNICODE program can boost youth employment opportunities by up to 50%, which is a compelling validation of the program's impact and importance.' 'We are proud to collaborate with Boursa Kuwait on this initiative that reflects our shared commitment to empowering Kuwaiti youth, equipping them for digital transformation and helping them adapt to the fast-evolving demands of today's job market. At Markaz, we firmly believe that institutional partnerships are essential to driving inclusive development, led by a generation armed with knowledge, skills and a spirit of innovation," Al-Rifae said. The Kuwait Financial Centre 'Markaz' was established in 1974 and is one of the first financial institutions in Kuwait to offer asset management and investment banking services in the Middle East and North Africa. Listed on Boursa Kuwait since 1997, it currently manages assets worth KD 1.44 billion (equivalent to USD 4.67 billion) as of March 31, 2025. CODED Academy Co-Founder and Chief Operating Officer Mr. Hashim Behbehani expressed his heartfelt gratitude to Boursa Kuwait and the Kuwait Financial Centre 'Markaz' for their continued support of the Academy and generous sponsorship of the Unicode Program, emphasizing that this strategic collaboration reflects a shared commitment to empowering Kuwaiti youth and cultivating a new generation of highly skilled tech professionals. 'We are proud to launch a new edition of the Unicode Program, purposefully designed to equip participants with the most in-demand technical skills in today's job market,' he said. 'This year's curriculum places a strong emphasis on practical, hands-on training in fintech and cybersecurity, offering an immersive learning experience aligned with the dynamic needs of the labor market.' 'Hosting the program at Boursa Kuwait provides participants with an immersive environment that elevates their learning journey and reinforces the program's growing reputation as a vital step in their career development. CODED Academy remains committed to offering practical, high-quality training that aligns with the aspirations and ambitions of today's students,' added Behbehani. Founded in 2015, CODED Academy is the first coding academy in the Middle East, educating participants in software development, cybersecurity, data science and artificial intelligence, enabling the youth to navigate the evolving demands of a competitive job market and enter the workforce with confidence and readiness. Boursa Kuwait's Corporate Sustainability strategy stipulates ensuring initiatives apply and fall in line with the company's corporate social responsibility (CSR), industry best practice standards, and investor expectations, creating strong and sustainable partnerships that ultimately achieve success and allow Boursa Kuwait to leverage the capabilities and strengths of other companies or organizations that have experience in different fields, and integrating sustainability efforts with the company culture, to achieve longevity and ongoing impact that is carried on and instilled in the day-to-day operations of the stock exchange. As part of the strategy, Boursa Kuwait has launched many initiatives in partnership with local and international organizations, focusing on support for nongovernmental organizations and charity programs, financial literacy and capital market awareness, the empowerment of women, and environmental protection. Brief Overview of Boursa Kuwait: The establishment of Boursa Kuwait in 2014 marked the first step in the privatization project of the Kuwait Stock Exchange, which was founded in 1977 as the first exchange in the Gulf Cooperation Council region and was reorganized in 1983 as an independent financial institution. The transitional phase began in 2016, with Boursa Kuwait officially assuming the responsibilities and operations of the Kuwait Stock Exchange, replacing it with an official license in the same year after the successful completion of the transitional phase. This ensured that Boursa Kuwait developed the infrastructure and operated according to best practices and international standards. It commenced the creation of an advanced, reliable trading platform built on efficiency, credibility, and transparency to serve all asset classes with a focus on the interests of traders and the national economy. Boursa Kuwait has undertaken various market reforms as part of its comprehensive plans to enhance it in several stages. It succeeded in introducing innovative investment tools, enhancing transparency, and restructuring the market to increase its liquidity and competitiveness, based on its mission-focused strategy, which emphasizes developing the market to meet international standards. The company's developmental and improvement efforts have also contributed to the reclassification of the Kuwait market as an «emerging market» among key global index providers, enhancing Kuwait's position as a leading regional financial center. In a pioneering step in Kuwait's privatization field, the privatization of Boursa Kuwait was successful, conducted in two stages. The first stage was in February 2019 when a consortium of Kuwaiti investment companies and a global exchange operator won the privatization bid, acquiring a 44% stake in the company. In December 2019, the privatization process was completed through the public offering of a 50% stake owned by the Capital Markets Authority to Kuwaiti citizens, with the offering oversubscribed by more than 850%. Boursa Kuwait is listed on the «Premier Market» under the name «Boursa». For further information, please contact: Ahmad Rashed Alowaish PR and Media Manager - Boursa Kuwait Email: aalowaish@
The Herald
04-06-2025
- Business
- The Herald
Need to develop skills for digitally driven future in Nelson Mandela Bay
It was estimated as far back as 2017 that 85% of the jobs that will exist in 2030 have not even been invented yet. The clock is ticking towards 2030 — are we prepared with the skills to fill new digitally driven jobs for which we don't even have job descriptions yet, in industries that don't exist yet? We already know that SA has a severe shortage of high-level technical skills, particularly in IT-related and engineering fields. The extent of the skills mismatch has been estimated at 50% — in other words, half of work-seekers don't have the skills needed in today's job market. The challenge of preparing for a job that doesn't yet exist is heightened by the rapid pace of digital disruption. The reality is that a student who entered a degree programme this year in engineering, for example, may not have the skills needed in industry when they graduate in four years' time. This is not to say that the tertiary qualification in which the graduate invested serves no purpose. They will be schooled in the science and principles of the discipline they plan to enter and will have been exposed to workplace learning experiences and industry experts. However, they may lack the hands-on technical skills required in a job that has developed faster than curriculum development in the education system can keep pace with. The report by the Institute for the Future and Dell Technologies referred to in the introduction forecasts that the rapid pace of change means employees of the future will be continuously exposed to skills training and retraining, not in the institutional sense as we know it, but real time, 'in the moment' learning driven by technologies such as virtual reality and tailored AI-assisted content. The ability to learn and acquire new knowledge will be more valuable than the knowledge itself, the report says. While a tertiary qualification provides an essential foundation, we see the future in industry-led skills development, where companies and industry bodies collaborate in developing the real time on-the-job training that develops the skills they need to keep pace with rapidly advancing production technology. It makes no sense that industry regularly reports struggling to fill vacancies for technically skilled positions, while we have an unemployment crisis and a particularly severe youth unemployment rate of over 50%. The Harambee Youth Employment Accelerator, our partner in the Business Chamber Skills Desk, points out that despite economic growth over the past 16 years, there are fewer young people employed now than there were in 2008. The availability of an appropriately skilled talent pool is a key factor for new investors, and we need to be attracting new investment to drive job creation. Beyond investment to drive economic growth, we need youth-specific interventions and demand-led skills development if we are to fill the gaps in critical skills shortages and the mismatch between qualifications and industry needs. It has thus been exciting to see the rollout over the past few weeks of one of the first initiatives of the Skills Development Desk to support industry-led skills development. The business chamber is managing the Eastern Cape Youth Empowerment Programme which is training 50 unemployed youth as digital process technicians — a job that did not exist a year ago. The initiative is supported by auto manufacturer Stellantis, which is developing a new assembly plant at Coega and will be establishing the very jobs that these new skills will be trained to fill in an increasingly digital and automated global manufacturing sector. Industrial automation specialists Jendamark are providing the training on their cutting-edge automation technology, and the participants are now in their fourth week of hands-on training in the year-long programme. The training in virtual systems maintenance is complemented by mentorship and the chamber's Entrepreneurship Desk is supporting the development of entrepreneurial skills, as well as the 'soft skills' that are essential in industry alongside technical skills — qualities such as adaptability, working collaboratively, leadership and emotional intelligence. The critical end goal is employment, and a number of local manufacturers have signed on to recruit the participants for workplace experience once they have completed their training. This is the kind of partnership we need to drive meaningful change and equip young people with in-demand skills and direct access to the job market. It's a first of its kind, and we plan for it to be the first of many as we upskill people to meet the investment potential of the Bay of Opportunity. Denise van Huyssteen is chief executive officer of the Nelson Mandela Bay Business Chamber The Herald
