Jordanian company launches program to train 2,000 young people, link 1,000 to jobs

Data Space Solutions on Tuesday launched the action plan for its "Thousand Zero to Hero 2027" programme, targeting the training and qualification of 2,000 young Jordanians in future digital skills and directly linking 1,000 of them to employment opportunities. The initiative aims to ensure at least 40% of beneficiaries are women and 15% are people with disabilities, and to extend outreach across governorates to broaden access to the digital economy beyond Amman in line with the Economic Modernization Vision 2023-2033.

"Real investment in young people is not limited to providing them with knowledge. It starts by turning their capabilities into applicable skills, then into experience, and ultimately into economic value and sustainable jobs," said Zaid Al‑Rifai, Director‑General of Data Space Solutions, describing the programme as a national platform that brings partners together to prepare a generation equipped with future skills and connect them to practical training and employment.

The plan places particular emphasis on information technology and the digital creative industries, with priority technical areas that include cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, business intelligence and digital transformation. Data Space Solutions described the model as shifting from "training for training's sake" to a "training for employment" approach: beneficiaries will move beyond certificates into practical application, work experience, exposure to employers' requirements, and progression to practical training and jobs.

• Beneficiaries targeted: 2,000 trained; 1,000 connected to jobs
• Inclusion targets: 40% women; 15% people with disabilities
• Geographic focus: nationwide, with outreach to Badia and remote areas
• Priority sectors: cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, fintech, education technology, outsourcing, and digital creative industries

Stakeholder partners at the launch outlined complementary roles. Mohammad Al‑Khudari, Chief Executive Officer of Green Circle, said the initiative follows a series of grants that provided initial momentum and that Green Circle will implement practical training in cybersecurity and emerging technologies to equip participants with market-ready skills. "The programme was launched following a series of grants provided by various entities and projects, which served as the initial impetus for continuing efforts to strengthen integration between the private and public sectors," he said.

Nidal Al‑Bitar, chief executive of the Information and Communications Technology Association of Jordan (int@j), explained the association's support through three practical tracks: aligning training with companies' needs via sector councils covering cybersecurity, AI, fintech and edtech; opening mentoring and practical training channels inside member companies; and connecting high‑performing participants with local and export market job opportunities.

Ayesh Qatarneh, Director‑General of the Hashemite Fund for the Development of the Jordan Badia, highlighted the programme's emphasis on empowering residents of the Badia and remote governorates, and on creating opportunities specifically for women and people with disabilities. Wedad Qutishat, Executive Director of the King Abdullah II Center for Excellence (KACE), called the initiative "a genuine model of partnership and integration across sectors," saying investing in people is the cornerstone of sustainable development and a more competitive economy.

Yaseen Halil, director of the Youth Movement Support Fund, attended the launch on behalf of the Minister of Youth and affirmed ministry support for measures that boost youth readiness for future skills and employment. Organisers say the action plan rests on a broad national partnership model that joins the private sector, universities, training institutions and civil society — with the explicit goal of creating quality digital jobs and strengthening Jordan's readiness in artificial intelligence and its applications.