More tech talent crucial to fuel Jordan’s digital economy

Today, one of the strategic growth engines of Jordan’s economy is the information and communications technology (ICT) industry. Spurred by early government initiatives, business-friendly regulations and policies, and a growing population of digital natives, Jordan’s tech sector is widely considered one of the most advanced and robust in the Arab world. The World Bank recently reaffirmed Jordan as one of the most advanced countries in the Eastern Arab region to develop, adopt and utilise digital infrastructure and services. 

The ICT industry contributes 12 per cent to the country’s GDP, and the launch of the REACH2025 initiative as a part of the Vision 2025 renewed Jordan’s efforts in the development of its digital economy. The REACH2025 initiative aims to streamline the country’s economic transformation through digitisation. There is a strong emphasis placed in the seamless integration of digital technologies, and to encourage, inspire, and support the next generation of digital entrepreneurs and entrepreneurs in Jordan. Furthermore, the optimal utilisation of advanced technologies such as 5G, artificial intelligence (AI) and cloud computing will enable Jordan to achieve sustainable economic development and drive productivity across all sectors.

Ambition fuels innovation, but it is the people that can drive a vision forward. For us to generate more value from technology and empower digitalization throughout all industries, we must empower more talent within this critical sector. Jordan already boasts a large population of young, tech-savvy individuals. It is important that we leverage this to build a strong community of ICT professionals that can drive innovation, productivity, and most importantly, contribute towards the government’s mission. 

Education will play a fundamental role in this, and the strengthening of public-private partnerships will enable us to create a generation of confident and employable ICT professionals. Partnerships between governmental organisations, academia, training agencies and private sector enterprises will promote innovation and growth of the ICT talent ecosystem, enabling us to put the building blocks of ICT to good use in realising Jordan’s ambitions for the future.  

The Faculty of Prince Al Hussein Bin Abdallah II For Information Technology at Hashemite University is proud to contribute towards Jordan’s Vision 2025 and REACH2025. Our ICT courses are backed by industry partnerships with esteemed global technology pioneers like Huawei, which helps make our graduates technically qualified and increases their employability. Private entities like Huawei are world-class leaders in the ICT field, and our collaborations with them and others provide us an opportunity to acquire advanced industry knowledge, learn best practices, and gain access to the most cutting-edge technologies. This early and fundamental access to industry-leading ICT companies will enable our youth to make a smooth and seamless transition from the classroom to the workplace. 

Ultimately, this will play a crucial role in the development and growth of Jordan’s ICT talent that fulfill our vision of a world-class digital economy.

Feras Al Hanandeh is a professor at the Hashemite University. He contributed this article to The Jordan Times