Kuwait Telecommunications Company – stc, a world-class digital leader providing innovative services and platforms to customers, enabling the digital transformation in Kuwait, supported the ‘TechNext’ program hosted by Sheikh Abdullah Al Salem Cultural Center.
The initiative, organized in collaboration with Kuwait Technical College (KTECH) and under the umbrella of stc’s educational ‘upgrade’ initiative, aimed to enhance the human capital and developing technological skills among the new generation and build on stc’s extensive corporate social responsibility (CSR) program that focuses on empowering the younger generation.
The ‘TechNext’ program was designed to educate and empower young individuals between the ages of 16 and 23 by encouraging them to channel their energy and creativity into innovation. The program officially launched on August 18, 2024, and ran for two weeks till August 29, 2024. The program reflects a commitment to supporting and developing youth skills, guiding them to use technology in ways that benefit society. This initiative aligns with Kuwait’s development vision, which aims to achieve sustainable development by enhancing youth capabilities and providing them with essential skills and knowledge.
During the program, participants engaged in a series of workshops covering key areas such as programming, artificial intelligence, and cybersecurity. The workshops were led by certified and specialized trainers from Google, KTECH and stc, providing participants with hands-on experience and the opportunity to develop valuable skilling in these fields. A total of 40 students from various universities and high schools in Kuwait participated in the program.
A highlight of the program was the cybersecurity workshop presented by Omar Al Sanae, Director of Cybersecurity at stc. The session provided participants with essential knowledge and insights into the increasingly important cybersecurity domain. Considering stc’s high level of attention on protecting customer data, Al Sanae shared valuable information on some of the protocols taken by stc to prevent cyber threats, as well as those that should be applied by customers. Additionally, Al Sanae participated in the judging panel that selected the top 5 projects in the program, who also received gifts from stc for their innovative concepts.
The closing ceremony was held at Sheikh Abdullah Al Salem Cultural Center, and was attended by Maryam Al Kandari and Abdullah Al-Najdi from stc Kuwait Corporate Communications Team, Rawan Al-Qahtani – a representative from Sheikh Abdullah Al Salem Cultural Center, and Noura Al-Asimi – Manager of the training institute at KTECH. Aside from recognizing the top 5 projects, stc was recognized by the Sheikh Abdullah Al Salem Cultural Center for its sponsorship role in the program.
Danah AlJasem, General Manager of Corporate Communications at stc, commented, “stc strongly believes in the power of education and innovation as key drivers that will play a crucial role in the future of Kuwait. Our sponsorship of the TechNext program reflects our ongoing commitment to empowering the youth by equipping them with the technological skills needed to thrive in an increasingly digital world. By supporting initiatives like this, we aim to inspire the next generation to harness their creativity and energy towards building a better and more sustainable future for our community. We would also like to thank the Sheikh Abdullah Al Salem Cultural Center for recognizing stc for its sponsorship role, as well as KTECH for their ongoing collaboration throughout this program.”
