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DOHA VOLUNTEERS from Deloitte Middle East have trained over 2,000 students under the Deloitte Injaz Al Arab ‘Be Entrepreneurial’ programme.

The volunteers in Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Palestine have been facilitating business and entrepreneurial training programmes to high school students across the Middle East since the beginning of this year.

Commenting on the programme, Chairman and CEO of Deloitte Middle East Omar Fahoum said, “It is important for our region that young Arabs are equipped with business and entrepreneurial skills to create job opportunities and achieve long-term success. We are committed to helping in closing the skills gap and digital divide in our communities, as an integral part of our corporate responsibility strategy.” Deloitte volunteers under a number of skills building programmes, serve as mentors, bringing their real-world experiences to the classrooms in the region. Students are being taught the intricacies of establishing and maintaining a profitable business, management skills and presentation tactics as part of the first phase.

The ‘Be Entrepreneurial’ programme will later culminate in a regional business plan competition. Deloitte Middle East will assist in screening applicants and judging the business plan competition during which youth will present their ideas to business leaders and compete for start-up financing.

The curriculum will also be launched online in order to provide quick access to students throughout the region, as well as young people outside the formal education system.

According to recent reports by the World Bank, the MENA region is experiencing the highest regional youth unemployment rates in the world. With 60 percent of the region’s population under the age of 30, the World Bank estimates that close to 100 million new jobs should be created over the next 10 to 15 years. In addition, the reports indicate that the MENA region spends more per capita on education than any other region, yet it still lags behind in employment rates.

Unemployment rates are also higher among young women than young men.

In this regard, Deloitte Middle East has tailored a corporate responsibility (CR) strategy to cater to the needs of the region. The strategy includes a shift of focus to education that is closely aligned to employers’ needs and students’ long term employment in a global knowledge economy.

Talent and Communications Partner at Deloitte Middle East Rana Ghandour Salhab said, “We find that the donation model alone, which is typically how CR began, will not make lasting changes in society.

Sustainability and societal impact are the only ways forward. Therefore, our CR strategy at Deloitte is to address and tackle core issues for future generations in our communities.”