Supporting its vision to improve the way the world works and lives, Accenture (NYSE: ACN) is committing more than US$200 million over the next three years to help equip people around the world with job skills for the digital age. Several countries across the Middle East region will benefit from this commitment including the UAE, Saudi Arabia.
Omar Boulos, regional managing director of Accenture in the Middle East and Turkey said, “This significant commitment is fueled by our belief in the importance of playing an active role in the development of young people. While we know that there is no shortage of budding talent in the region, without the proper support, our youth will not get the chance to reach their true potential. With this in mind, Accenture supports local organizations to considerably increase employment opportunities and develop the skills needed for success.”
Pierre Nanterme, Accenture’s chairman and CEO added, “As a technology leader, we have an obligation to apply new scalable technology solutions to help solve complex societal challenges,” said Pierre Nanterme, Accenture’s chairman and CEO. “Our investments will continue to empower Accenture to produce socially minded partnerships and programs that will have a profound impact on the lives of millions of people throughout the world, now and for the future.”
Accenture’s commitment will help support Skills to Succeed, Tech4Good, Accenture Development Partnerships and related Accenture initiatives.
The company’s Skills to Succeed initiative advances employment and entrepreneurship opportunities, leveraging digital innovation to help close employment gaps at scale. Together with a network of nonprofits and other ecosystem partners, Accenture has since 2010 equipped more than 2.2 million people with the skills to get a job or build a business, with a goal of equipping a total of more than 3 million people by 2020. Examples of recent Accenture’s Skills to Succeed partnerships in the region include:
- Providing Youth Business International’s network members in the UAE with access to business mentoring, training and capital, while helping young people hone their business skills and build small businesses.
- Hosting an ‘Entrepreneurial Exchange’ in Abu Dhabi which brings together young business leaders from around the world to spark innovation and foster entrepreneurship in the UAE.
- Volunteering to teach code to nearly 220 students at the International Academy in Dubai – 50 boys in grades 5-9 at Bayan Gardens School and 30 students at the Al Azizyah Girls School in Al Khobar through the Hour of Code initiative.
- Partnering with the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratization for the Tawteen Head Start Day, as well as hosting and judging a high school entrepreneurial qualifier event, allowing teams to present their business ideas to determine the winners.
Accenture’s Tech4Good projects use advanced technologies to help solve critical challenges facing business and society. For instance, the company collaborated with The Grameen Foundation India, using technologies from AI to augmented reality, to help disadvantaged people improve their financial literacy to enhance their financial and social well-being.
Accenture Development Partnerships works across government, business and civil society, applying business and technology solutions to build capacity and strengthen programs for development organizations around the globe.
