Prince Charles meets young graduates of Prince’s Trust International programmes

AMMAN — Prince Charles, the Prince of Wales on Wednesday visited the British ambassador’s residence to see the work of Prince’s Trust International in Jordan and meet with young graduates. 

Founded by the Prince of Wales in 2015, and building on decades of experience in the UK, Prince’s Trust International works with partners in 13 countries, helping young people to learn, earn and thrive, according to a statement from Prince’s Trust International. 

Since Prince’s Trust International began work in Jordan in 2015, the charity has been collaborating with the government, NGOs, employers and youth groups to develop solutions to the employment challenges faced by Jordanian youth. 

In partnership with the King Abdullah II Fund for Development (KAFD), the Business Development Centre (BDC), LOYAC and INJAZ, Prince’s Trust International has so far supported over 11,000 young people in Jordan through programmes aimed at providing entrepreneurial and employability skills.

Wednesday’s event at the British ambassador’s residence showcased the work that Prince’s Trust International has achieved with partners in Jordan following the Prince of Wales’ previous visit to launch the initiatives in 2015. 

The event featured young participants of two Prince’s Trust International programmes: The Enterprise Business Challenge and Tariqi.

One young person who spoke at the event, Sara, 23, took part in the Tariqi Get Into Insurance programme, delivered in Jordan by the BDC. 

Sara had struggled to find meaningful work using her genetic engineering degree. She decided to seek work in other sectors and signed up for the programme and secured a job.

Speaking about her new role, Sara said she was “very happy and excited to be offered the job. I felt passionate about the sector, and there was the chance to progress”.

Less than a year after starting work as a customer services adviser, Sara – who used to be quite shy – now leads a team of 10 people. 

The Enterprise Business Challenge programme, delivered by INJAZ in schools across Jordan, teaches key entrepreneurial skills through a business simulation game, mentorship and business pitching, and promotes issues such as gender equality among participants.

COVID-19 has had a disproportionate impact on young people with youth unemployment in Jordan reaching 50 per cent in 2020, according to the World Bank. 

Earlier this year, the Prince’s Trust Group of charities commissioned a report into the future of work to help shape their programmes and inform stakeholders about young people’s attitudes to work following the pandemic.

Commenting on the pandemic’s impact, a research participant in Jordan said that young people have “really suffered, many of us felt depressed, we did not know what was coming next. I think it took a lot from us… our energy, our skills, our power”. 

As young people contend with this uncertain future and an unstable labour market, listening to them is critical to understanding the right response, the statement said. 

When deliberating on the types of industry they would like to work in, some research participants in Jordan expressed their desire for careers in more sustainable sectors, with one saying that green jobs “are very important, and they are available in Jordan, but they are not advertised, or known, as they should [be]”.

In his foreword for the report, President and Founder of the Prince’s Trust, the Prince of Wales, said: “We are calling for partnership and collaboration to meet these ambitions and create more decent, sustainable jobs. We want to give more young people the opportunity to develop the skills suitable for the world of work. 

“We want to nurture talent and give support to this emerging generation of entrepreneurs. For the future of our world, it is vital that we put young people at the heart of this recovery”.

Prince’s Trust International’s programmes and local partnerships aim to support young people to develop the skills needed to secure the future they desire. Building on its existing partnerships, Prince’s Trust International is working to deliver and expand its employability and enterprise skills programmes, scaling up their support for young people in Jordan.

Will Straw, chief executive officer of Prince’s Trust International, said: “Together with our founder and president, HRH The Prince of Wales, I am delighted to be here in Jordan celebrating the achievements of thousands of young people that we and our local partners have supported since 2015. 

“Our recent research into the future of work showed that young people in Jordan have been badly affected by the pandemic but are determined to contribute to the recovery and eager to work in more sustainable sectors.

“I look forward to expanding our work in Jordan and developing new opportunities to prepare young people for the labour markets of tomorrow — including through sustainable and environmentally friendly jobs and business practices.”