In partnership with Luminus ShamalStart, Orange Jordan celebrated the graduation of the first cohort of students from the Orange FabLab during an event held at the Orange Digital Village that houses the company’s vital programs related to youth and entrepreneurship.

The event was attended by Orange Jordan’s CEO, Thierry Marigny, the Deputy Chief PR, Corporate Social Responsibility and Corporate Communication Officer, Eng. Rana Al-Dababneh, the Luminus ShamalStart Manager, Eng. Ibrahim Faza and GIZ’s Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Focal Point and Team Leader of the Labour Market Oriented Vocational Education, Higher Education and Training (MOVE-HET) Project, Ms. Eman Qaraeen.

The fully equipped lab offered free training for 11 students on the most sought-after digital skills, especially the use of the latest machines, tools, and programs, such as technology-aided design and cutting, 3D printing, computer-aided design, robotics, designing, and manufacturing electronic panels and coding.

The students received the certificates after completing the training requirements for a month and delivering their individual and group projects. Orange and Luminus ShamalStart focus on the training’s practical part to prepare the youth to work in digital fabrication and innovation.

Orange Jordan’s CEO, Thierry Marigny, congratulated the first cohort of graduates of the Orange FabLab, stressing that supporting innovation is at the core of Orange Jordan’s priorities, whereas the digital tools allow for more effective contribution to economic development and achieve smart solutions that help in supporting the community.

He noted that the FabLab is supported by Orange Foundation as part of the Solidarity Fab Lab program across 131 FabLabs in 21 countries.

Luminus ShamalStart Manager, Eng. Ibrahim Faza extended his congratulations to the students, saying: "We are happy to celebrate the outcomes of the FabLab partnership with Orange Jordan, which represents an essential step in the economic scene through supporting youth in the different governorates, whom Luminus group seeks to develop continuously as an avid believer in youth. We aim to help them in improving their life quality by providing the needed tools to build a better future, mainly technical and practical education based on labor market needs, supported with technology and experience."

GIZ’s TVET Focal Point and Team Leader of the MOVE-HET Project, Ms. Eman Qaraeen, stressed the importance of this project as it embodies true partnership between the private sector and the different educational institutions as a cornerstone to bridging the gap between the educational outcomes and the labor market needs, and instill entrepreneurship among youth, which is one of the main pillars that GIZ is focusing on through its different projects in the Kingdom.

The FabLab is one of the projects under the partnership between Orange Global and the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH commissioned by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) on behalf of the German Government to enhance youth employability, support entrepreneurship and digital innovation in 14 countries in the MENA region, including Jordan.