Mena Talent Map: The Future of Outsourcing and Potential Opportunities For Emerging Countries in The MENA Region
Mena Talent Map: The Future of Outsourcing and Potential Opportunities For Emerging Countries in The MENA Region
Mena Talent Map: The Future of Outsourcing and Potential Opportunities For Emerging Countries in The MENA Region
TALENT MAP
The future of outsourcing and potential
opportunities for emerging countries in
the MENA region
February 2023
01 Executive Summary 04 Supply: Learnings from case 07 Iraq: A potential outsourcing 10 Tunisia: An outsourcing hub
• 1.1 Executive summary...................... 05 studies and methodology hub for sophisticated jobs with weel-balanced offering
• 1.2 الملخص التنفيذي.............................. 06 • 4.1 Case studies: Markets • 7.1 Baseline........................................ 66 • 10.1 Baseline...................................... 95
renowned for talent supply........... 38
• 7.2 Value proposition and • 10.2 Value proposition and
• 4.2 Case studies: Markets talent pool..................................... 66 talent pool................................... 96
renowned for talent supply........... 39
Introduction
02 • 7.3 Recommendations on • 10.3 Recommendations on
areas of focus................................ 69 areas of focus.............................. 98
• 2.1 Study context................................ 08
• 7.4 Skilling, upskilling and • 10.4 Skilling, upskilling and
• 2.2 Job outsourcing 05 Lebanon: A talent-driven re-skilling recommendations........ 71 re-skilling recommendations.... 101
interpretations.............................. 08
outsourcing hub for
• 2.3 Jobs and job clusters.................... 09
sophisticated jobs
08 Egypt: An outsourcing hub for 11 Conclusion and closing notes
• 5.1 Baseline........................................ 44
creative strengths
03 Demands: Key markets with • 5.2 Value proposition and
talent pool..................................... 44 • 8.1 Baseline........................................ 74
large number of jobs outsourced 12 Appendix
• 5.3 Recommended areas • 8.2 Value proposition and
• 3.1 Job outsourcing trends................. 11 of focus.......................................... 47 talent pool..................................... 75 • 12.1 Jobs and job clusters................ 105
• 3.2 Key demand hot spots and • 5.4 Skilling, upskilling and • 8.3 Recommendations on • 12.2 Key demand hot spots.............. 107
prominent job clusters................. 13 re-skilling recommendations........ 51 areas of focus................................ 78
• 12.3 Case studies.............................. 111
• 3.3 Deep-dive: UAE • 8.4 Skilling, upskilling and
outsourcing prospects.................. 16 re-skilling recommendations........ 81 • 12.4 Supply methodology: Labor
qualifications and abundance.. 121
• 3.4 Deep-dive: KSA 06 Jordan: A well-rounded out-
outsourcing prospects.................. 21 • 12.5 Lebanon.................................... 122
sourcing hub for
• 3.5 Deep-dive: Qatar 09 Morocco: An outsourcing hub • 12.6 Jordan........................................ 129
outsourcing prospects.................. 24 sophisticated jobs
with well-balanced offering • 12.7 Iraq............................................ 137
• 3.6 Deep-dive: USA • 6.1 Baseline........................................ 55
outsourcing prospects.................. 27 • 9.1 Baseline........................................ 85 • 12.8 Egypt......................................... 145
• 6.2 Value proposition and
• 3.7 Deep-dive: France talent pool..................................... 56 • 9.2 Value proposition and • 12.9 Morocco.................................... 154
outsourcing prospects.................. 31 talent pool..................................... 86
• 6.3 Recommendations on • 12.10 Tunisia..................................... 162
• 3.8 Deep-dive: United Kingdom areas of focus................................ 58 • 9.3 Recommendations on
outsourcing prospects.................. 34 areas of focus................................ 89 • 12.11 Upskilling benchmarks and
• 6.4 Skilling, upskilling and lessons learned....................... 170
re-skilling recommendations........ 62 • 9.4 Skilling, upskilling and
re-skilling recommendations........ 92 • 12.12 Study limitations.................... 175
BDD Beirut Digital District Talent supply from third parties to fulfill select jobs that are outsourced from
Supply
other entities and countries
BCG Boston Consulting Group
Entities and countries that are outsourcing select jobs, rather than fulfilling
MENA Middle East and North Africa Demand
them in-house, and are in search of third-party talent to occupy select jobs
ISIC International Standard Industrial Classification of All Economic Activities Six countries in the MENA region - Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq, Egypt, Morocco, and
Focus countries Tunisia – whose value proposition and talent potential were assessed, in order
WEF World Economic Forum
to supply talent to occupy offshore jobs that are subject to outsourcing
OECD Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development Services within job clusters and sub-clusters that focus countries are well
Areas of focus
ILO International Labour Organization equipped and should aim to supply talent for
The analysis will apply two lenses: 2.2 Job outsourcing interpretations
• A “supply” or talent pool lens. Investigating the focus What is job outsourcing? Interpretations vary, based on
countries’ competitive advantages, including workforce who is providing the description. After all, job outsourcing
availability and qualifications, market environment, refers to the business practice of sourcing-in talent from an
infrastructure, regulatory landscape, etc. to assess the outside party to perform job functions that are traditionally
countries’ potential for talent pool supply for offshore performed in-house.
jobs in key markets.
A 2D matrix (Figure 1) captures these different interpreta-
• A “demand” or job outsourcing needs lens. Iden- tions, organized by type of outsourcing performed and
tifying key markets, especially markets in geographical geography from which talent is sourced.
This yields five interpretations of outsourcing: part-time contracts and short-term assignments, located
in the same geography/ country.
• Cross-border freelancers. Individuals providing
services on a part-time, freelance basis, via part-time As the aim of this study is to identify potential to estab-
contracts and short-term assignments/ affiliations, to lish remote work ecosystems in the six focus countries to
select organizations outside the individual’s country of supply labor-force to markets abroad, three interpreta-
residence. tions are relevant here: (1) cross-border freelancers, (2)
cross-border company back offices, (3) cross-border inde-
• Cross-border company back offices. “Internal” offic- pendent service providers.
es/ departments within organizations, set up in geogra-
phies different from the organization’s head office.
2.3 Jobs and job clusters
• Cross-border independent service providers. Com-
panies utilizing the services of other companies, via One key aspect of this study is to understand the jobs or
part-time contracts and short-term assignments, located functions that either have been frequently outsourced or
in different geographies/ countries. that have potential to be. As such, a bottom-up assessment
was conducted starting with 400+ job classes leveraging the
• Within country freelancers. Individuals providing International Standard Industrial Classification (ISIC) and
services on a part-time, freelance basis, via part-time applied filtering lenses (see appendix section 12.1 for further
contracts and short-term assignments/ affiliations, to details) to shortlist 11 job clusters with large outsourcing
select organizations within the freelancer’s country of potential (where each cluster is composed of multiple jobs).
residence.
Some of the clusters (Figure 3) were carved out into
• Within country independent service providers. sub-clusters to cater for differences in their specificities
Companies utilizing the services of other companies, via and characteristics.
4. Job projections from WEF’s future of work report In summary, job clusters were thus categorized based on
(specifying jobs projected to have an increase or de- current outsourcing market size and future outsourcing
crease in demand) prospects (Figure 11):
The World Economic Forum’s future of work report indi- • Clusters that are currently small in size, but are
cates that demand for sophisticated jobs is on the rise expected to have significant growth potential. Data
globally, whereas demand for mainstream jobs is on the and artificial intelligence (AI), specialized research and
decline (Figure 10). market intelligence (Telemedicine and remote educa-
tion), and creative and design services.
Source: 1. CAGR from 2021-2027; 2. Data for 21’; 3. Includes telemedicine, edtech, and business consulting; 4. Limited to graphic design
• Clusters that are currently sizeable and are expected hot-spots were shortlisted: UAE, KSA, Qatar, USA, France,
to maintain steady growth. Human resource manage- and the UK.
Figure 10 - Future trends in demand for jobs ment, finance and accounting services, software and appli-
cations development, Infrastructure management services, 3.3 Deep-dive: UAE outsourcing prospects
IT consulting and support, legal services, and specialized
research and market intelligence (business consulting and The UAE is the second-largest economy in the Arab world,
market research, and engineering design services). with a gross domestic product (GDP) of ~ USD 360 billion
in 2020 (Figure 12). The UAE continues to be a strategic
• Clusters that are currently sizeable, but whose hub, with business-friendly free zones and a quickly grow-
growth is expected to diminish. CRM (including call ing economy.
centers), and content and document processing
3.3.1 Job outsourcing needs (demand) and talent
Deep-dives into six of the demand hot-spots were con- pool (supply)
ducted, to obtain a more nuanced understanding of po- The UAE is one of the largest suppliers of talent in the
tential job outsourcing opportunities and the demand for GCC. Local supply of outsourcing services (i.e., revenues
sourcing-in talent from key markets. The selection was from outsourcing services) in the UAE was estimated at
based on outsourcing market size, key jobs outsourced, USD 1.3 billion in 2018. Customer support, finance and
time-zone proximity to focus countries, business languag- accounting, human resources, and KPO are the major jobs
es and fit with focus countries. Six countries or demand and job clusters supplied by the UAE (Figure 13).
However, the UAE is one of the key markets or demand The projections imply undersupply by local players and
“hot spots” for job outsourcing (i.e., where entities out- inability to meet local demand. This gap presents a signif-
source parts of their value chains and source-in talent from icant opportunity for offshore job outsourcing service
third parties). The total spending by UAE-based organiza- providers.
Job clusters that have traditionally been prone to some level The UAE is striving to diversify its economy with its future
of outsourcing in the UAE include IT consulting and support agenda revolving around emerging themes like “sustain-
(e.g., DEWA outsourcing IT services), CRM including call able economic development”, “innovation”, “digital trans-
centers (e.g., Emirates outsourcing call centers), finance and formation and security”, and “advanced science, technolo-
accounting services, and HRM (Figure 16). gy and artificial intelligence”. Analysis of the UAE’s
national and Emirate-level strategies highlight the signifi-
The UAE has embarked on a journey of empowerment cance of three job clusters to the UAE’s future economic
and transformation. Its target is to become one of the outlook, which in turn signal strong growth potential for
world’s most resilient, modern, and innovative nations job outsourcing:
while remaining rooted in its traditions and maintaining
and its global status and interconnections. Goals are • Infrastructure management services (e.g., cloud engi-
defined and enabled by various ambitious national strate- neers, cybersecurity analysts, network engineers)
gies (e.g., Ministry of Economy’s promising foreign invest-
ment sectors, Ministry of Economy’s promising economic • Software and applications development (e.g., software
sectors, UAE strategy for AI 2031) as well as targeted engineers, application developers)
forward-looking Emirate-level strategies (e.g., Abu Dhabi
Economic Vision 2030, Dubai Industrial Strategy 2030). • Data and AI (e.g., data scientists, blockchain developers)
Job clusters were categorized as either traditionally out- 3.3.3 Origin of existing supply and requirements
Figure 16 - Breakdown of UAE spending on sourcing-in talent, per cluster sourced or showing strong outsourcing growth potential Currently, the UAE’s talent pool supply for outsourced jobs
(Figure 17). comes in from local service providers, prominent destina-
tions such as India and neighboring Arab countries for
3.3.2 Notable industries for sourcing-in talent BPO, and the US and European countries for more sophis-
The most prominent industries when it comes to spending ticated jobs.
on job outsourcing services and sourcing-in talent are
(Figure 18): 3.3.4 Potential challenges
However, despite the UAE market being a hot spot for
• Financial services outsourced jobs and presenting opportunities for talent
service providers to tap into, there are a few challenges:
• Public sector (e.g., Dewa outsourcing IT services)
• Data residency and protection laws, limiting offshore
• Hospitality and leisure (e.g., Emirates outsourcing call outsourcing for banking and healthcare industries
centers to Australia, UK, US, India, and Pakistan)
• Commoditization of IT support, through local IT out-
• Telecommunications (e.g., Etisalat outsourcing support sourcing providers (e.g., Itqan, etc.)
services).
Source: 1. 15-24 years old; Source: World Bank, Vision 2030, Vision Realization Programs, PIF strategy, GaStat, BCG analysis
• Increased competitiveness through local BPO outsourc- However, KSA is one of the key demand “hot spots” for job
ing providers (e.g., Cupola Group and Tafaseel for call outsourcing. The total spending by KSA-based organiza-
centers, etc.) tions on outsourcing services (both from local and offshore
service providers) was estimated at over USD 2.3 billion in Figure 20 - Growth in demand for sourcing-in talent
• Increased competitiveness through local human re- 2018 and is expected to reach USD 5.7 billion in 2027, with
sources management outsourcing providers (e.g., Reach a CAGR of ~10% (Figure 20).
employment, Nathan & Nathan, etc.)
Drivers of the high number of jobs outsourced and the
3.4 Deep-dive: KSA outsourcing prospects demand for sourcing-in talent to KSA include:
KSA is the largest economy in the Middle East, with a GDP • Stringent governmental rules, restricting the flow of
of ~ USD 840 billion in 2020 (Figure 19). KSA is one the foreign manpower to the Kingdom, and creating offshore
fastest growing economies and its Vision 2030 sets ambi- outsourcing opportunities
tious targets for its economy and people.
• Increased ICT spending, driving up the number of IT
3.4.1 Job outsourcing needs (demand) and talent companies, and benefiting the outsourcing industry
pool (supply)
KSA is the second largest supplier of talent in the GCC. • Rise of ambitious real estate and infrastructure develop-
Local supply of outsourcing services (i.e., revenues from ments, including Royal Commissions, SEZs, megaproj-
outsourcing services) in KSA was estimated at USD 1 ects, plausibly leading to talent shortages and creating
billion in 2018. outsourcing opportunities
Figure 21 - KSA job clusters outsourcing categorization 3.4.2 Notable industries for sourcing-in talent 3.4.4 Potential challenges
The most prominent industries when it comes to spending However, despite the Saudi market being a key demand
on job outsourcing services and sourcing-in talent include hot spot and presenting opportunities for talent service
(Figure 22): providers, there are a few challenges:
• Financial services • Offshore restrictions for select job clusters (e.g., call cen-
ters), requiring employees to be based in KSA
• Manufacturing
• Legacy industries favoring local or international players
• Telecommunications (e.g., STC outsourcing human re- with business registry in the country (e.g., accounting
sources services, Mobily outsourcing IT support) services, human resources management)
3.4.3 Origin of existing supply and requirements • Data residency and protection laws, limiting offshore
The reliance on outsourcing for cost reduction is less popu- outsourcing for the public and healthcare sectors
lar in KSA due to Saudization, an employment policy
implemented solely to boost Saudi employment. 3.5 Deep-dive: Qatar outsourcing prospects
Currently, KSA’s talent pool supply for outsourced jobs Qatar is the third largest GCC economy, with a GDP of ~
comes mainly from local service providers, India and USD 180 billion in 2020 (Figure 23). Qatar’s national ambi-
neighboring Arab countries (e.g., Egypt) for BPO, and tion is to transform into an advanced economy, sustaining
the US, China, and European countries for more sophis- its development, and providing a high standard of living for
ticated jobs. its people.
Source: 1. 15-24 years old; Source: World Bank, Qatar Second National Development Strategy, BCG analysis
3.5.1 Job outsourcing needs (demand) and talent The projections imply undersupply by local players and
pool (supply) inability to meet local demand. This demand-supply gap
Qatar is a supplier of talent, with local supply of outsourc- presents a significant opportunity for offshore job outsourc-
ing services (i.e., revenues from outsourcing services) ing service providers.
estimated at USD 420 million in 2018.
Job clusters that have traditionally been prone to some
However, Qatar is one of the key markets or demand “hot level of outsourcing in Qatar include IT consulting and
spots” for job outsourcing. The total spending by Qa- support (e.g., QatarEnergy outsourcing IT services), fi-
tari-based organizations on outsourcing services (both nance and accounting services, HRM (e.g., Ooredoo out-
from local and offshore service providers) was estimated at sourcing HRM), and specialized research and market
~ USD 690 million in 2021 and is expected to reach ~ USD intelligence. However, competition to offer BPO and IT
1.2 billion in 2027, with a compounded annual growth rate support services is increasing, with multiple large interna-
(CAGR) of ~9% (Figure 24). tional service providers.
Drivers of the high number of jobs outsourced and the Qatar has embarked on a change journey and aims to
demand for sourcing-in talent to Qatar include: transform the country into an advanced economy, capable • Public sector, specifically with the roll-out of govern- • Oil and gas industry (e.g., QatarEnergy outsourcing IT
of sustaining its own development and ensuring high living ment initiatives in the form of “Digital Government services)
• Significant skills mismatch between supply and demand, standards for upcoming generations. The Nation’s targets Strategies”
with the labor force concentrated in low-skilled occupa- are defined and enabled through ambitious national strate- 3.5.3 Origin of existing supply and requirements
tions, creating offshore outsourcing opportunities gies (e.g., First National Development Strategy 2011-2016, • Tourism industry (e.g., Qatar Airways outsourcing soft- Currently, Qatar’s talent pool supply for outsourced jobs
Second National Development Strategy 2018-2022). Qatar ware development) comes mainly from local service providers (e.g., multiple
• Diversification plans driving ambitious real estate and is seeking to develop a diversified economy, diminish de- call centers established in Qatar), India and neighboring
infrastructure developments, plausibly leading to talent pendence on hydrocarbons, invest in the knowledge-based • Telecommunications (e.g., Ooredoo outsourcing call Arab countries for BPO and some KPO functions (e.g.,
shortages, and creating outsourcing opportunities economy, and nurture the growing private sector. Key centers and human resources to a local player) engineering design outsourced to Egypt), and the US, Far
East, and Western Europe for more sophisticated jobs.
Source: 1. 15-24 years old; Source: World Bank, FRED, Faethm, BCG analysis
Job clusters that have traditionally been prone to some • Legal services (e.g., legal specialists)
level of outsourcing in the USA include IT consulting and
support, software and application development (e.g., Ora- • Data and AI (e.g., data analysts)
cle outsourcing software development), CRM including call
centers (e.g., AT&T outsourcing customer service), finance • Creative and design services (e.g., arts, design, and en-
and accounting services, and HRM (Figure 29). tertainment)
USD 26 billion in 2020 and is expected to reach ~ USD 37 The projections imply undersupply by local players and
billion in 2025, with a compounded annual growth rate inability to meet local demand. This demand-supply gap
(CAGR) of ~7% (Figure 33). presents a significant opportunity for offshore job outsourc-
ing service providers.
Source: 1. 15-24 years old; Source: World Bank, Manpower Group, BCG analysis
3.7.3 Origin of existing supply and requirements 3.8 Deep-dive: United Kingdom outsourcing
Currently, France’s talent pool supply for outsourced jobs prospects
comes mainly from Morocco, Central Europe (including
Czech Republic and Romania), Portugal, Tunisia, Leba- The UK is a leading economic powerhouse, with a GDP of
non, and India. Morocco accounts for half of all Franco- ~ USD 2.7 trillion in 2020 (Figure 36). UK’s economy is
phone offshoring services and is mostly focused on call diverse, with world-class industries including life sciences,
centers. ICT, creative, financial and professional business services,
aerospace and automotive engineering.
ating sustainable development. Analysis of France’s future • Financial services (e.g., BNP Paribas outsourcing human
of work studies highlights the significance of Data and AI
(e.g., big data analysts) as a job cluster central to France’s
resources management to Portugal; Société Générale
outsourcing IT services to Morocco)
Figure 36 - UK at a glance
future economic outlook and suggesting strong growth
potential for job outsourcing. • Pharmaceuticals (e.g., Sanofi outsourcing design services
to Czech Republic)
Job clusters were categorized as either traditionally out-
sourced or showing strong outsourcing growth potential • Telecommunications (e.g., Orange outsourcing call cen-
(Figure 35). ters to Morocco, Tunisia, and Senegal; SFR outsourcing
call centers to Morocco and Tunisia; Bouygues outsourc-
3.7.2 Notable industries for sourcing-in talent ing call centers to Portugal, Romania, and Morocco)
The most prominent industries when it comes to spending
on job outsourcing services and sourcing-in talent include: • Logistics (e.g., Air France outsourcing IT services to India)
Source: 1. 15-24 years old; Source: World Bank, Statista, Rethinking skills to tackle the UK’s looming talent shortage, BCG analysis
Figure 38 - Growth in demand for sourcing-in talent The UK is a developed country, with considerable econom- Job clusters were categorized as either traditionally out-
ic, scientific, and technological influence internationally. It sourced or showing strong outsourcing growth potential
has unveiled various strategies to grow its digital economy, (Figure 40).
and its future agenda features themes such as “innova-
tion”, “digital transformation”, and “machine learning”. 3.8.2 Notable industries for sourcing-in talent
Analysis of UK’s future of work studies shows the particu- The most prominent industries when it comes to spending
lar significance of two job clusters to the UK’s future eco- on job outsourcing services and sourcing-in talent include:
nomic outlook which also indicate strong growth potential
for job outsourcing: • Financial services (e.g., Barclays outsourcing back-of-
fice and call center roles to India; HSBC outsourcing IT
• Data and AI (e.g., information specialists) services to Egypt)
• Specialized research and market intelligence (e.g., edu- • Oil and gas (e.g., British Petroleum outsourcing IT sup-
cational staff ) port to India)
Six case studies were conducted as part of this study: India, • Intermediate jobs (tier 2) supply. Countries mainly
Bangladesh, Philippines, China, Ukraine, and Poland. supply other markets with labor offering strong knowl-
These countries: edge in specific technical skills (such as law, accounting,
etc.) and basic digital skills.
• Telecommunications (e.g., Vodafone outsourcing IT 3.8.3 Origin of existing supply and requirements • Are well known for their job outsourcing ecosystems
services to India) Currently, the UK’s talent pool supply for outsourced jobs • Sophisticated jobs (tier 1) supply. Countries mainly
comes mainly from India, South Africa, Ukraine, and Egypt. • Exemplify different job outsourcing archetypes (includ- supply other markets with labor offering proficiency/spe-
• Consumer goods (e.g., Unilever outsourcing human India is the historical offshoring destination providing ing focus on mainstream vs. intermediate vs. sophisti- cialization in some fields (such as coding, design, etc.)
resources services to several countries including India, services for the biggest UK companies. South Africa com- cated jobs) and strong digital skills.
Poland, Romania etc.) petes on quality and value-add, with 78% of South African
BPO work destined for UK companies. • Have extensive data available
• Retail (e.g., Tesco outsourcing IT support to India; Virgin
outsourcing back-office BPO roles to South Africa)
Analysis with respect to these pillars, dimensions and Those categorized as quick to market fit three criteria:
sub-dimensions/ KPIs was leveraged to identify the coun-
tries’ competitive advantages and challenges, and ulti- • Labor availability (i.e., are there enough people in the
mately aided in shortlisting areas of focus for talent pool local landscape that can occupy roles associated with
supply. the areas of focus)
4.2.2 Categorizing areas of focus • Labor qualifications (i.e., is the workforce ready to occu- 4.2.3 Skilling, upskilling and re-skilling method- ing initiatives (Figure 43) were recommended (per cluster
Each country’s identified areas of focus were then catego- py relevant roles or does it require upskilling) ology and per country), to help address the labor challenges.
rized into short and long-term opportunities based on two Labor qualifications, abundance and broader ecosystem
dimensions: • Ecosystem readiness (i.e., is there a supporting ecosys- challenges associated with the identified areas of focus Finally, key providers and potential initiative leads (Figure
tem to help prepare talent to occupy relevant roles and were outlined. Subsequently, skilling, upskilling and re-skill- 44) were identified.
• Supply-side, to assess whether the talent supply per clus- increase the workforce’s market exposure, where rele-
ter or area can be quick to market or requires enabling. vant)
Source: 1. Includes massive open online course providers such as edX and Coursera
• One of the top educational systems in the Tax exemptions and • Financial and non-financial incentives for in-
region and home to world-class universities incentives for busi- vestors in key sectors for all types of projects Strong
Labor qualifications • Ranks 18th globally in quality of education Strong nesses • Corporate income taxes fixed at 17%
system, and 4th in quality of Math and Sci-
Special economic • No operational special economic zones in
ence Education Lagging
zones’ availability place
• Strong pool of tri-lingual labor, speaking and
Labor availability and Language proficiency Strong Regulatory landscape • No data protection legislation
writing Arabic, English, and French Data and IP protec-
qualifications • Privacy provisions contained in Law No. 81 Medium
• Ranks 71st in 2021 Global Talent Competi- tion laws
on Electronic Transaction and Personal Data
Labor availability tiveness Index and 5th out of 134 countries Strong
in ease of finding skilled employees • Some degree of government involvement
Regulations governing in enabling easy set-up of outsourcing
• Cost-competitive labor, nearly 27% less cost- Medium
job outsourcing businesses (e.g., facilitating issuance of call
Labor cost ly than GCC countries and nearly 55% lower Strong center licenses)
than developed countries
• Relatively weak investment in skilling,
• High political risk score, among the highest re-skilling and upskilling talent with ini-
Political stability Lagging Governmental efforts Lagging
in MENA and globally tiatives either outdated and/ or not fully
• High economic risk score; among highest in implemented
the world given severe economic crisis and Talent skilling, upskill- • Insufficient supply of placements and ap-
Economic stability high inflation rates; risk partially offset by a Lagging ing and re-skilling prenticeships offered to employees
strong, innovative, and highly ranked start- Private sector efforts Medium
landscape • One of highest concentration of training
up ecosystem
Market environment institutions per capita in any MENA country
Proximity to well- • Strategically located close to well-known
• Multiple initiatives launched to skill, re-skill
known demand hot regional and global demand hot spots (e.g., Strong Not-for-profit institu-
and upskill talent across key capabilities, Strong
spots GCC, Europe) tions’ efforts
including digital
• Multilingual population and vast diaspora
Cultural similarity
bridging the cultural gap between Lebanon
with well-known de- Strong
and the other Arab, European, and Ameri-
mand hot spots Lebanon has great potential to evolve into a talent supply (Figure 46). However, challenges, including political and
can countries
hub for offshore jobs, mainly driven by its highly qualified, economic risks, may threaten the country’s outsourcing
• High internet penetration rate (94% in 2019 language proficient, and cost competitive labor force prospects.
Telecom infrastructure versus global of 63%)
Medium
readiness • Low broadband speed despite deployment
of fiber optic in select regions
Figure 46 - Lebanon’s advantages and challenges
• Ranks medium in the GovTech Maturity
Index
Digital maturity levels Strong
• Ranks 2nd in the region in the Digital Ac-
Infrastructure cess Index
• Long-term structural vulnerabilities and low-
Physical infrastructure grade infrastructure
Lagging
readiness • Ranks 127th globally (out of 141) for quality
of road infrastructure
Access to working • Abundant co-working spaces with prime
stations equipped for infrastructure, connectivity, and vibrant busi- Strong
remote work ness environment
With its highly qualified, multilingual, and cost competitive For additional details on talent abundance and qualifica- Advantages:
labor force, Lebanon has great potential to become a talent tions, please refer to section 12.5.2 in the appendix.
supply hub for offshore work across six areas of focus. • Medium abundance of fresh graduates and experienced professionals
• Qualified marketing graduates and experienced professionals
• Existing marketing ecosystem of 10 to 20 SMEs serving markets abroad
Marketing services • Access to co-working spaces with proper infrastructure, offsetting potential infra-
AREAS OF FOCUS KEY FINDINGS structure-related drawbacks
Potential drawbacks:
Advantages:
• Loss of graduates caused by the severe economic crisis and salaries’ unat-
• Abundant labor
tractiveness compared other countries (e.g., GCC countries)
• Qualified talent, proficient in at least two languages
Advantages:
• Low average salaries compared to peers (e.g., Morocco)
• Government incentives facilitating call center set-up • Abundant labor
Customer Relationship manage- • Minimal and low-cost skilling, re-skilling and upskilling required for people, • Qualified medical doctors and teachers (both fresh graduates and experienced
ment (including call centers) including the unemployed, making them attractive to employers seeking CRM Telemedicine and remote educa- practitioners)
talent tion service provision • Existence of several renowned hospitals with regional outreach (e.g., AUBMC)
Potential drawbacks: • Established ecosystem of online education platforms (~17 EdTech start-ups)
• Low political stability can pose risk of business disruptions • Few training and upskilling initiatives on telemedicine and/or online tutoring are
available locally
• Weak physical infrastructure and internet speeds can prevent workers in rural
areas from properly performing their jobs
Advantages:
The identified areas of focus were then further prioritized in terms of importance and timing (Figure 47).
• Medium abundance of fresh graduates
• Qualified, trilingual software and computer engineering graduates and experi-
enced professionals
• Low average salaries compared to GCC and European countries
Figure 47 - Lebanon areas of focus prioritization
Software and apps development,
integration, implementation • Access to co-working spaces with proper infrastructure, offsetting potential infra-
structure-related drawbacks
Potential drawbacks:
• Absence of data protection laws and weak enforcement of IP protection laws
• Low abundance of experienced professionals due to the loss of talent caused by
the severe economic crisis
Advantages:
• Abundant labor
Business consulting and market • Qualified, trilingual talent skilled in problem solving and critical thinking
research • Established ecosystem for business consulting and market research and firms
matching freelance consultants with big consulting firms (e.g., QO Collective)
• Access to co-working spaces with proper infrastructure, offsetting potential infra-
structure-related drawbacks
Advantages:
• Abundant labor with a large pool of engineers and architects graduating every
year
• Qualified engineering and architecture graduates and experienced professionals
Engineering design and consult-
ing services • Low average salaries compared to GCC countries
• Established ecosystem for engineering design and consulting firms serving mar-
kets abroad (including big players such as Dar Al-Handasah and Khatib & Alami)
• Access to co-working spaces with proper infrastructure, offsetting potential infra-
structure-related drawbacks
Source: 1. Education for Employment 2. Including courses on empathy, mindset, successful communication, etc.
5.4 Skilling, upskilling and re-skilling recom- • Customer relationship management: non-certified
mendations short-courses and micro-certifications
Key skilling, upskilling and re-skilling initiatives (Figures 48-53) • Engineering design and consulting services: internship Figure 49 - Engineering design and consulting recommendations
will increase the workforce’s attractiveness and further enable opportunities, non-certified short-courses, and mi-
its potential as talent for offshore outsourced jobs. cro-certifications
For Lebanon’s short-term focus areas, these initiatives • Business consulting and market research: internship
include (Figures 48-50): opportunities, non-certified short-courses, micro-certifi-
cations, and formal and non-formal career guidance
For the country’s long-term focus areas, skill building • Marketing services: interventions with policy makers, for-
initiatives include (Figures 51-53): mal and non-formal career guidance, non-certified short
courses, and micro certifications Figure 53 - Telemedicine and remote education recommendations
• Software and app development: interventions with
policy makers, formal and non-formal career guidance, • Telemedicine and remote education: interventions with
non-certified short courses, and certified programs policy makers, formal and non-formal career guidance,
non-certified short courses, and micro certifications
Source: 1. Program requires no previous training from applicants, only high school diploma
outsourcing hub for sophisticated jobs • TasmeemME: The Middle East’s first regional online
network dedicated to promoting and empowering Arab
ecosystem were assessed to identify Jordan’s value proposi-
tion and competitive advantages (see table below, and
further details in the appendix section 12.6).
creative talent.
6.1 Baseline by Syria to the north, Iraq to the east, Saudi Arabia to the
south and south-east, and Palestine (the West Bank) to PILLARS DIMENSIONS KEY FINDINGS ASSESSMENT
The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan is an Arab country the west. Jordan’s economy achieved a 2.2% growth in
located in the rocky desert of the northern Arabian Penin- 2021, driven by an expansion of the services and industri- • Home to universities ranking top 10 in the
sula and in West Asia (Figure 54). The country is bordered al sectors Arab region
Labor qualifications Strong
• Ranks 43rd in quality of education and 62nd
in quality of math and science education
Figure 54 - Overview of Jordan Language proficiency
• Many bilingual people as English and Arabic
Medium
are the primary languages of education
Labor availability and
qualifications • Ranks 63rd in 2021 Global Talent Competi-
Labor availability tiveness Index and 21st out of 134 countries Strong
in ease of finding skilled employees
• Very cost competitive labor, with country
ranking high in financial attractiveness of
Labor cost Strong
outsourcing in Global Services Location
Index
Political stability • Medium political risk score Medium
• Low economic risk score, with GDP growing
Economic stability Strong
at 2.2% and inflation rate of 5.2% in 2022
Proximity to well- • Strategically located close to well-known
Market environment known demand hot regional and global demand hot spots (e.g., Strong
spots GCC, Europe
• Bilingual, educated, qualified labor and large
Cultural similarity
diaspora bridging the cultural gap between
with well-known de- Strong
Jordan and the other Arab, European, and
mand hot spots
American countries
6.1.1 Current outsourcing supply landscape 6.1.2 Job matching platforms for outsourced and
Jordan is a well-established hub for various Business Pro- offshore jobs
cess Outsourcing (BPO), Information Technology Outsourc- Major regional and global platforms are accessible for
ing (ITO) and Knowledge Process Outsourcing (KPO) ser- freelancers, with many Jordanians already registered on:
vices. It is the 35th most popular offshoring destination
worldwide, and the 3rd amongst MENA countries. Approxi- • Upwork: Global freelancing platform connecting busi-
mately 7,500 jobs have been created from the ITO and ness with independent professionals and agencies
BPO sectors, with plans to add 10,000 more by 2023. KPO around the globe.
sector employs hundreds of employees providing manage-
ment consulting services in the country and abroad. • Khamsat: Digital marketplace for digital services target-
ing MENA countries.
Advantages: Advantages:
• Abundant labor • Abundant labor
• Qualified, bilingual talent • Qualified talent skilled in problem solving and critical thinking
Business consulting and market
Customer Relationship manage- • Low average salaries compared to GCC countries • Low average salaries compared to peers (e.g., Lebanon)
research
ment (including call centers) • Minimal skilling, re-skilling and upskilling required for talent to perform call • Presence of notable medium-sized consulting firms (e.g., EY-Parthenon, PwC)
center work • Well-developed telecom infrastructure with high digital maturity
• Politically stable with minimal risk of business disruption • Access to co-working spaces with proper infrastructure
• Well-developed telecom infrastructure
Advantages::
Advantages:
• Abundant labor
• Medium abundance of fresh graduates and low abundance of experienced pro- • Qualified medical doctors and teachers (fresh graduates and experienced practi-
fessionals tioners)
• Qualified software and computer engineering graduates and experienced profes- Telemedicine and remote educa- • Existence of several renowned hospitals to train medical doctors (3 hospitals
sionals tion service provision ranked among top 1000 hospitals worldwide)
• Low average salaries compared to GCC countries • Established ecosystem of online education platforms (~50 EdTech startups)
Software and apps development, • Fast growing ICT sector with strong government investment in digital skilling, Potential drawbacks:
integration, implementation and re-skilling and upskilling
management • Low quality of education ranking compared to peers (e.g., Lebanon)
• IP regulations in place
• Absence of telemedicine training and/or online teaching
• Well-developed telecom infrastructure with high digital maturity
• Access to co-working spaces with proper infrastructure
Potential drawbacks:
• Lack of experienced professionals in ICT fields The identified areas of focus were then further prioritized An assessment of labor abundance and qualifications
• Absence of data protection laws (laws being drafted, as per latest information) in terms of importance and timing (Figure 56). highlights potential ways to further enable the labor force.
Advantages:
• Abundant labor
Engineering design and consult- • Qualified engineering and architecture graduates and experienced professionals
Figure 56 - Jordan areas of focus prioritization
ing services • Low average salaries compared to GCC countries
• Established ecosystem of independent service providers serving markets abroad
(e.g., Engicon, Bitar Consultants Engineers, Dar Al-Handasah, Khatib & Alami)
Advantages:
• Abundant labor
• Qualified accounting experienced professionals
• Low average salaries compared to peers (e.g., Morocco)
• Strong digital finance services ecosystem with supportive regulatory environ-
ment and government support
Finance and accounting services
• Large number of FinTech startups in Jordan (~ 50) supporting SMEs across
MENA
• Well-developed telecom infrastructure with high digital maturity
Potential drawbacks:
• Qualifications of fresh graduates lagging ( Jordanian finance and accounting
university programs do not appear on list of top programs worldwide)
AREAS OF FOCUS AREAS REQUIRING IMPROVEMENT WAY FORWARD AREAS OF FOCUS AREAS REQUIRING IMPROVEMENT WAY FORWARD
Customer Relation- 1. Various population segments (including dis- 1.1 Encourage specific population segments Software and apps 1. Labor not too abundant (only ~1.2% of the 1.1 Intervene with policymakers to promote
ship management advantaged communities) can receive quick to obtain micro certifications in CRM development, inte- population working in the ICT sector) the expansion of existing or launching of
(including call cen- skilling and upskilling to occupy CRM jobs tools and enroll in short courses on soft gration, implementa- new tertiary education programs in
ters) skills tion & management relevant fields
Engineering design 2. Only one globally ranked engineering pro- 2.1 Intervene with policymakers to enhance 1.2 Promote career guidance for fresh gradu
and consulting ser- gram in Jordan tertiary education engineering programs ates, highlighting opportunities in soft
vices (curriculums, quality of instructors, etc.) ware and app development related fields
3. Experienced professionals are qualified but 3.1 Encourage experienced professionals to 1.3 Encourage relevant workforce segments
can benefit from further distinction obtain certifications in emerging/ niche (with high similarities to jobs in software
fields and app development fields) to obtain
certifications and become eligible to
4. Fresh graduates are qualified but lack “re- 4.1 Enable internships and development of occupy jobs in the software and app
al-life” work experience soft and multidisciplinary skills for new development fields
graduates
2. Experienced professionals are qualified but 2.1 Encourage experienced professionals to
Business consulting 5. Fresh graduates are qualified but lack “re- 5.1 Enable Internships and development of certifications in the field are a significant obtain certifications
and market research al-life” work experience soft and multidisciplinary skills for new plus
graduates
3. Fresh graduates are qualified but lack “re- 3.1 Enable internships and development of
5.2 Promote career guidance for fresh gradu al-life” work experience soft and multidisciplinary skills for new
ates, highlighting opportunities in busi graduates
ness consulting and market research
related fields Finance and account- 4. Only one globally ranked finance and ac- 4.1 Intervene with policymakers to enhance
ing services counting program in Jordan tertiary education engineering programs
(curriculums, quality of instructors, etc.)
5. Fresh graduates’ attractiveness lagging (as 5.1 Enable internships and development of
compared to global finance and accounting soft and multidisciplinary skills for new
graduates) graduates
Telemedicine and 6. Medical doctors and teacher require skill- 6.1 Encourage experienced medical practi
remote education ing and upskilling on remote interactions tioners to obtain certifications in tele
service provision medicine
6.2 Encourage experienced teachers to
obtain certifications in remote tutoring
6.4 Skilling, upskilling and re-skilling recom- • Customer relationship management: non-certified
mendations short-courses and micro-certifications
Key skilling, upskilling and re-skilling initiatives (Figures • Engineering design and consulting services: interven-
56-61) will increase the workforce’s attractiveness and tions with policy makers, internship opportunities,
further enable its potential to fill offshore outsourced jobs. non-certified short-courses, and micro-certifications
For Jordan’s short-term focus areas, these initiatives in- • Business consulting and market research: internship
clude (Figures 57-59): opportunities, non-certified short-courses, micro-certifi-
cations, and formal and non-formal career guidance
For the country’s long-term focus areas, skill building • Finance and accounting services: internship opportuni-
initiatives include (Figures 60-62): ties, non-certified short courses, and certified programs
Figure 58 - Engineering design and consulting services recommendations
• Software and app development: interventions with policy • Telemedicine and remote education: certified programs
makers, formal and non-formal career guidance, certified
programs, and non-certified short courses
7.1.1 Current outsourcing supply landscape 7.2 Value proposition and talent pool
Today, Iraq provides all types of outsourcing: BPO, ITO, and
KPO. However, most outsourcing services are predominant- The five key pillars for a successful job outsourcing talent
ly offered to local players inside the Iraqi market. Some ecosystem were assessed to identify Iraq’s value proposi-
global providers have established themselves in the coun- tion and competitive advantages (see table below, and
try (e.g., Extensya for CRM services; EY and Deloitte for further details in the appendix section 12.7) In summary,
finance and accounting services); however, their size is Iraq has potential to evolve into a talent supply hub for
relatively small (~20-100 employees for each player). basic offshore jobs, mainly driven by its cost competitive
• Low access to education (~3M children • Low internet penetration rate (50% versus
out of school and only ~19% of college-age global of 63%)
population has access to tertiary education Telecom infrastructure • Lagging telecom infrastructure due to dam-
compared to 32% in Tunisia, 34% in Jordan, Lagging
readiness ages from the wars and complications for
Labor qualifications and 39% in Morocco) Lagging operators to deploy LTE services
• ~60% of youth lacking essential digital skills • Limited fiber internet coverage
• Very few renowned universities such as the
Digital maturity levels • Ranks low in the GovTech Maturity Index Lagging
University of Baghdad, which ranks in top 30
in Arab region and top 1,000 worldwide Infrastructure • Lack of access to adequate electricity for
basic needs
• Decent proficiency in English, the only Physical infrastructure
Language proficiency compulsory foreign language taught in Iraqi Medium • Low, unequal, and inconsistent quality of Lagging
readiness
schools water and sanitation services
Labor availability and
qualifications • Fragmented transport system
• Abundance of job-seeking Iraqis as Iraq has
one of region’s lowest employment-to-total Access to working
• Limited number of co-working spaces with
population ratios stations equipped for Medium
adequate infrastructure
• 25% of working-age population being un- remote work
Labor availability Strong
derutilized (either unemployed or underem- • Some financial and non-financial incentives
Tax exemptions and
ployed) for foreign investors
incentives for busi- Medium
• 25%+ of tertiary education graduates unem- nesses • Corporate income taxes fixed at 15%
ployed or inactive in labor market
• 4 official free zones offering incentives such
• Cost-competitive labor (e.g., graduate as customs duties and VAT exemption
software engineers in Iraq earn an average Special economic
Labor cost Strong • More zones under development to boost Strong
annual salary of ~ $10,000 – relatively low zones’ availability
compared to peers such as Tunisia) economic cooperation (e.g., joint zone with
Regulatory landscape Jordan)
• High political risk score, among the highest
Political stability Lagging Data and IP protec- • No data protection law
in MENA and globally Medium
tion laws • IP laws in penal code
• Medium economic risk score, with GDP
Economic stability growing at 1.3% and inflation rate of ~6% in Medium • Weak government involvement in enabling
2021 easy set-up of outsourcing businesses (e.g.,
Regulations governing
Free Trade Agreements with key MENA Medium
Proximity to well- • Strategically located close to well-known job outsourcing
Market environment countries are currently suspended, pending
known demand hot regional and global demand hot spots (e.g., Strong review by the government)
spots GCC, Europe)
• Some degree of investment in skilling,
• Bilingual qualified labor and large diaspora re-skilling and upskilling talent, but initia-
Cultural similarity
bridging the cultural gap between Iraq and Governmental efforts tives not comprehensive or inclusive (e.g., Medum
with well-known de- Strong
the other Arab, European, and American low access for youth and women in under-
mand hot spots
countries served areas)
7.3 Recommendations on areas of focus For additional details on talent abundance and qualifica- Customer Relation- 1. Labor requires upskilling to occupy CRM 1.1 Intervene with policymakers to increase
tions, please refer to section 12.7.2 in the appendix. ship management and content and document processing jobs, participation rates in secondary and
Despite the critical challenges that the country is facing, (including call cen- due to low digital proficiency of population tertiary education (to improve popula
Iraq’s abundant and cost competitive labor force enable it These areas of focus were further prioritized in terms of ters) Content and (~60% of youth lack basic digital skills for tion’s digital proficiency)
to evolve into a talent supply hub for four areas of focus, all importance and timing (Figure 65). document processing employment)
1.2 Encourage specific population segments
related to basic outsourcing work. to obtain micro certifications in CRM
tools and enroll in short courses on soft
skills
AREAS OF FOCUS KEY FINDINGS 2. Population’s English proficiency is slightly 2.1 Encourage various population segments
lagging to enroll in short English courses
Advantages:
Customer relationship manage-
ment (including call centers) • Abundant bilingual talent to conduct basic BPO work
• Low average salaries compared to GCC countries
• Minimal and low-cost skilling, re-skilling and upskilling required for talent, in-
Human resource management
cluding the unemployed, making them attractive to potential employers
Potential Drawbacks:
Content and document process- • High risk of business disruptions due to political instability
ing
• Lagging telecom and digital infrastructure requiring significant improvements
• Dysfunctional physical infrastructure with no access to basic needs for many
IT consulting and support Iraqis
• Weak government investment in incentivizing outsourcing businesses
Software and apps 1. Labor requires upskilling to occupy human 1.1 Intervene with policymakers to increase
development, inte- resource management jobs participation rates in secondary and
gration, implementa- tertiary education (to improve popula
tion & management tion’s digital proficiency)
1.2 Encourage specific population segments
to obtain certifications in HRM and
enroll in short courses on soft skills
2. Population’s English proficiency is slightly 2.1 Encourage various population segments
lagging to enroll in short English courses
3. Fresh graduates are qualified but lack “re- 3.1 Enable internships and development of
al-life” work experience soft and multidisciplinary skills for new
graduates
3.2 Promote career guidance for fresh gradu
ates, highlighting opportunities in hu
man resources fields
Finance and account- 4. Labor requires upskilling to occupy IT con- 4.1 Intervene with policymakers to increase
ing services sulting and support jobs, due to low digital participation rates in secondary and
proficiency of population (~60% of youth tertiary education (to improve popula
lack basic digital skills for employment) tion’s digital proficiency)
4.2 Encourage specific population segments
to obtain IT support certifications and
enroll in short courses on soft skills Figure 67 - Content and document processing recommendations
An assessment of labor abundance and qualifications For Iraq’s short-term focus areas, these initiatives include
highlights potential ways to further enable Iraq’s labor (Figures 66-67):
force.
• Customer relationship management: interventions with
policy makers, non-certified short-courses, and mi-
7.4 Skilling, upskilling and re-skilling recom- cro-certifications
mendations
• Content and document processing: interventions with
Key skilling, upskilling and re-skilling initiatives (Figures policy makers and non-certified short courses
65-68) will increase the workforce’s attractiveness and
further enable its potential to fill offshore outsourced jobs.
8.1.1 Current outsourcing supply landscape region. Egypt is a leader in BPO outsourcing, with 17% of
Egypt is already a global outsourcing hub for ITO, BPO, the global market share.
and KPO, with many regional and global companies
established in the country. It is the 12th most popular In total, more than 2,000 companies employing nearly
offshoring destination globally and 1st in the MENA 240,000 people operate in the ITO, BPO, and KPO sectors.
Figure 71 - Egypt’s advantages and challenges • Qualified software and computer engineering graduates and experienced profes-
sionals
• Low average salaries (up to 60% less compared to leading outsourcing countries
Software and apps development, such as Romania)
integration, implementation and • Well-developed ecosystem with global players (e.g., Microsoft)
management
• Large ITO sector valued at $4.9B (CAGR of 13%)
• Data protection laws in place
• Advanced telecom infrastructure and high digital maturity
Potential drawbacks:
• IP protection laws need refining/ updating
Advantages:
• Abundant labor
• Qualified accounting graduates and experienced professionals
Finance and accounting services • Low average salaries compared to peers (e.g., Morocco)
• Well-developed ecosystem with notable players (e.g., KPMG) and a growing
FinTech scene (~110 FinTech startups)
• Advanced telecom infrastructure and high digital maturity
Advantages:
• Abundant labor Short-term areas of focus
• Qualified media experienced professionals
• Region’s biggest and most productive film and media industry
AREAS OF FOCUS AREAS REQUIRING IMPROVEMENT WAY FORWARD
• Similarity of cultures with GCC and other Arab countries
Media services • Geographical proximity to regional and global demand hot spots Customer Relation- 1. Various population segments (including dis- 1.1 Encourage specific population segments
• Advanced telecom infrastructure and high digital maturity ship management advantaged communities) can receive quick to obtain micro certifications in CRM
• Access to co-working spaces with proper infrastructure (including call cen- skilling and upskilling to occupy CRM jobs tools and enroll in short courses on soft
ters) Content and skills
Potential drawbacks:
document processing
• Qualifications of fresh graduates lagging (Egyptian media university programs do
Engineering design 2. Experienced professionals are qualified but 2.1 Encourage experienced professionals to
not appear on list of top programs worldwide)
and consulting ser- can benefit from further distinction obtain certifications in emerging/ niche
Advantages: vices fields
• Medium abundance of fresh graduates and experienced professionals 3. Fresh graduates are qualified but lack “re- 3.1 Enable internships and development of
• Qualified marketing graduates and experienced professionals al-life” work experience soft and multidisciplinary skills for new
Marketing services • Strong marketing ecosystem with over 500 well-established marketing agencies graduates
supporting local and regional companies Software and apps 4. Experienced professionals are qualified but 4.1 Encourage experienced professionals to
• Advanced telecom infrastructure and high digital maturity development, inte- certifications in the field are a significant obtain certifications
• Access to co-working spaces with proper infrastructure gration, implementa- plus
tion and manage-
5. Fresh graduates are qualified but lack “re- 5.1 Enable internships and development of
ment
al-life” work experience soft and multidisciplinary skills for new
graduates
Figure 72 - Egypt areas of focus prioritization Finance and account- 6. Fresh graduates are qualified but lack “re- 6.1 Enable internships and development of
ing services al-life” work experience both technical (via accounting and book
keeping certifications), soft and multidis
ciplinary skills for new graduates
Media services 1. 1. Fresh graduates’ attractiveness 1.1 Intervene with policymakers to enhance
lagging (no highly ranked media university tertiary education engineering programs
programs available) (curriculums, quality of instructors, etc.)
1.2 Intervene with policymakers to incorpo
rate key skills (e.g., video editing) in
high-school curricula
1.3 Enable internships and development of
both technical (via media-related certifi
cations), soft and multidisciplinary skills
for new graduates
8.4 Skilling, upskilling and re-skilling recom- • Engineering design and consulting services: internship
mendations opportunities, non-certified short-courses, and micro-cer-
tifications
Key skilling, upskilling and re-skilling initiatives (Figures
73-78) will increase the workforce’s attractiveness and • Software and app development: internship opportuni-
further enable its potential to fill offshore outsourced jobs. ties, non-certified short courses, and certified programs
For Egypt’s short-term focus areas, these initiatives include • Finance and accounting services: internship opportuni-
(Figures 73-76): ties, non-certified short courses, and certified programs
For the country’s long-term focus areas, skill building • Marketing services: interventions with policy makers, for-
initiatives include (Figures 77-78): mal and non-formal career guidance, non-certified short
courses, and micro-certifications
• Media services: interventions with policy makers, in-
ternship opportunities, non-certified short courses, and
micro-certifications
a well-balanced offering agencies are available for Moroccan freelancers and job
seekers:
9.2 Value proposition and talent pool
• High internet penetration rate (84% versus • Strong government investment in skilling,
global of 63%) Governmental efforts re-skilling and upskilling talent under the Strong
Telecom infrastructure • One of the most mature telecommunica- digitization strategy
Strong
readiness tions markets in Africa, offering some of the • Active involvement in developing skilling,
lowest prices for broadband internet access Talent skilling, upskill- re-skilling and upskilling initiatives (e.g., ~20
in the region ing and re-skilling Private sector efforts initiatives, led by 14 private-sector institu- Strong
• Ranks high in the GovTech Maturity Index landscape tions, launched to train talent on digital
Digital maturity levels Strong topic)
• Ranks 60th in 2022 Global Connectivity
Index • Multiple initiatives launched to skill, re-skill
Not-for-profit institu-
Infrastructure and upskill talent across key capabilities, Strong
• Relatively developed infrastructure with high tions’ efforts
including digital and technology
access to electricity (99.6% of population)
and safe drinking water (80% of population)
Physical infrastructure
• Ranks 41st globally (out of 141) for quality of Strong
readiness
road infrastructure
• Government investment in public transport In summary, Morocco has true potential to pursue its physical infrastructure (Figure 80). However, challenges,
to meet demand of growing urban population growth and become a talent supply hub for offshore jobs, including limited labor availability and cost competitive-
mainly driven by its well-established outsourcing ecosys- ness, and weak IP and data protection enforcement, may
Access to working • Abundant co-working spaces with proper tem, attractive market environment and strong digital and threaten the country’s outsourcing prospects.
stations equipped for infrastructure available for businesses and Strong
remote work freelancers
• Several financial and non-financial incen-
tives (e.g., exemptions, legal safeguards,
Figure 80 - Morocco’s advantages and challenges
ease of transfer of capital and profits)
Tax exemptions and offered to local and foreign investors in key
incentives for busi- sectors Medium
nesses
• Corporate income taxes fixed at 22.5%, rel-
atively high compared to peers (e.g., Jordan,
Lebanon)
• Well-established system with various zones
Special economic located in strategic positions across the
Strong
zones’ availability country, offering a series of incentives (e.g.,
Regulatory landscape tax and customs duties exemptions)
• Strong data protection laws reflecting Euro-
pean General Data Protection Regulation
Data and IP protec- (GDPR) Medium
tion laws
• Intellectual property rights (IPR) requiring
updates and refinements
• Limited involvement of government in
enabling easy outsourcing business set-up
Regulations governing (e.g., New Investment Law to ease estab-
Strong
job outsourcing lishment of outsourcing services introduced
and 115 bilateral trade agreements signed;
however, only 72 put into force)
• Strong CRM outsourcing ecosystem in place, serving markets abroad • Low proficiency in English
• Abundant talent, proficient in Arabic and French Advantages:
• Low average salaries compared to USA and European countries • Medium abundance of fresh graduates and experienced professionals
• Minimal and low-cost skilling, re-skilling and upskilling required for talent, in- • Qualified, bi-lingual legal services experienced professionals
Customer Relationship manage- cluding the unemployed
• Low average salaries compared to USA and European countries
ment (including call centers) • Political stability with minimal risk of business disruption
• Established ecosystem with many local law firms operating in field
• Proper telecom and digital infrastructure in place Legal services
Potential drawbacks:
Potential drawbacks:
• Qualifications of fresh graduates lagging (Moroccan legal university programs do
• Low proficiency in English, so focus could be on serving French- and Ara- not appear on list of top programs worldwide)
bic-speaking countries and/or on English language training
• Low proficiency in English
• High average salaries compared to peers (e.g., Lebanon, Egypt)
• High average salaries compared to peers (e.g., Egypt)
Advantages:
• Existing HR management outsourcing ecosystem in place, serving market
abroad
• Abundant talent, proficient in Arabic and French
Figure 81 - Morocco areas of focus prioritization
• Low average salaries compared to USA and European countries
Human resource management
• Arab, European, and African influences part of Morocco’s heritage, making it
culturally suitable to serve Arab, European, and African markets
Potential drawbacks:
• Low proficiency in English
• High average salaries compared to peers (e.g., Lebanon, Egypt)
Advantages:
• Abundant labor
• Qualified software and computer engineering experienced professionals
• Low average salaries compared to European countries
• Data and IP protection laws in place
Software and apps development,
• Proper telecom and digital infrastructure in place, including fiber technology
integration, implementation and
management • Access to co-working spaces with proper infrastructure
Potential drawbacks:
• Qualifications of fresh graduates lagging (Moroccan software and computer engi-
neering university programs do not appear on list of top programs worldwide)
• High average salaries compared to peers (e.g., Lebanon, Egypt)
• Weak enforcement of data and IP protection laws
Customer Relation- 1. Labor requires upskilling to occupy CRM 1.1 Intervene with policymakers to increase 2. Experienced professionals are qualified but 2.1 Encourage experienced professionals to
ship management and content and document processing jobs, participation rates in secondary and certifications in the field are a significant obtain certifications or passing bar ex
(including call cen- due to low digital proficiency of population tertiary education (to improve popula plus ams
ters) Content and (country ranks 88th on basic digital skills) tion’s digital proficiency) 3. Fresh graduates lack “real-life” work experi- 3.1 Enable internships and development of
document processing ence soft and multidisciplinary skills for new
1.2 Encourage specific population segments
to obtain micro certifications in CRM graduates
tools and enroll in short courses on soft
skills
Human resource 2.Experienced professionals are qualified but 2.1 Encourage workforce to obtain HRM
management can benefit from further distinction certifications 9.4 Skilling, upskilling and re-skilling recom- • Human resource management: internship opportunities,
3Population’s English proficiency is slightly 3.1 Encourage relevant workforce segments mendations formal and non-formal career guidance, non-certified
lagging to enroll in short English courses short-courses, and certified programs
Key skilling, upskilling and re-skilling initiatives (Figures
4. Fresh graduates lack “real-life” work experi- 4.1 Enable internships and development of 81-85) will increase the workforce’s attractiveness and • Software and app development: interventions with
ence soft and multidisciplinary skills for new further enable its potential to fill offshore outsourced jobs. policy makers, internship opportunities, non-certified
graduates short-courses, and certified programs
4.2 Promote career guidance for fresh gradu For Morocco’s short-term focus areas, these initiatives
ates, highlighting opportunities in hu include (Figures 82-85): • Business consulting and market research: internship
man resources fields opportunities, formal and non-formal career guidance,
• Customer relationship management: interventions with non-certified short-courses, and micro-certifications
Software and apps 5. No highly ranked software and app devel- 5.1 Intervene with policymakers to enhance policy makers, non-certified short-courses, and mi-
development, inte- opment university programs available in tertiary education engineering programs cro-certifications
gration, implementa- Morocco (curriculums, quality of instructors, etc.)
tion and manage-
5.2 Intervene with policymakers to incorpo
ment
rate key skills (e.g., coding) in high-
school curricula
Figure 82 - CRM services recommendations
6. Experienced professionals are qualified but 6.1 Encourage experienced professionals to
certifications in the field are a significant obtain certifications
plus
7. Fresh graduates lack “real-life” work experi- 7.1 Enable internships and development of
ence soft and multidisciplinary skills for new
graduates
Business consulting 8. Fresh graduates are qualified but lack “re- 8.1 Enable internships and development of
and market research al-life” work experience soft and multidisciplinary skills for new
graduates
8.2 Promote career guidance for fresh gradu
ates, highlighting opportunities in busi
ness consulting and market research
related fields
Figure 84 - Software and app development recommendations For the country’s long-term focus area, legal services, skill policy makers, internship opportunities, non-certified short
building initiatives include (Figure 86): interventions with courses, and certified programs
99 MENA TALENT MAP BOSTON CONSULTING GROUP X FORWARD MENA 100
Long-term areas of focus Figure 90 - CRM services recommendations
Software and apps 1. 1. Workforce qualifications less attrac- 1.1 Intervene with policymakers to enhance
development, inte- tive compared to global peers (especially at tertiary education engineering programs
gration, implementa- the fresh graduate level) (curriculums, quality of instructors, etc.)
tion and manage-
1.2 Intervene with policymakers to incorpo
ment
rate key skills (e.g., coding) in high-
school curricula
1.3 Enable internships and development
soft and multidisciplinary skills for new
graduates
Engineering design 2. Medium abundance of engineers and archi- 2.1 Intervene with policymakers to promote
and consulting ser- tects coupled with a brain drain (decreasing the expansion of existing or launching of
vices availability of experienced professionals) new tertiary education programs in
relevant fields
2.2 Promote career guidance for fresh gradu
ates, highlighting opportunities in engi
neering design and consulting related
fields
3. Workforce qualifications less attractive 3.1 Intervene with policymakers to enhance
compared to global peers (especially at the tertiary education engineering programs
fresh graduate level) (curriculums, quality of instructors, etc.)
3.2 Enable internships and development
soft and multidisciplinary skills for new Figure 91- Content and document processing recommendations
graduates
3.3 Encourage experienced professionals to
obtain certifications in emerging/ niche
fields
10.4 Skilling, upskilling and re-skilling recom- • Customer relationship management: interventions with
mendations policy makers, non-certified short-courses, and mi-
cro-certifications
Key skilling, upskilling and re-skilling initiatives (Figures
90-93) will increase the workforce’s attractiveness and • Content and document processing: interventions with
further enable its potential to fill offshore outsourced jobs. policy makers and non-certified short courses
101 MENA TALENT MAP BOSTON CONSULTING GROUP X FORWARD MENA 102
For the country’s long-term focus areas, skill building
initiatives include (Figures 92-93):
• Engineering design and consulting services: interven-
tions with policy makers, internship opportunities, for-
mal and non-formal career guidance, non-certified short
11 Conclusion and closing notes
• Software and app development: interventions with policy courses, and micro-certifications
makers, internship opportunities, non-certified short
courses, and certified programs This study set out to answer two questions: Not-for-profit institutions should take into consideration
the countries’ areas of focus when deciding on beneficia-
Figure 92 - Software and app development recommendations • What does the future of job outsourcing look like? ries, workforce segments, and fields for trainings and pro-
grams planned to be launched or designed. Such entities
• What are potential opportunities for talent supply from can also greatly influence the higher education and career
developing countries in the MENA region? decisions of students and fresh graduates, by offering
career support and guidance, aimed at steering career
It is clear that cross-border job outsourcing is a fast-grow- paths towards areas and fields with highest potential em-
ing and dynamic field, transforming to meet the demands ployment opportunities.
of global digitalization, and encompassing ever more
sophisticated segments of the value chain. As a strategic This study has provided a strong foundation for building
lever, outsourcing has expanded from simply delivering job outsourcing talent hubs in targeted MENA countries.
cost reduction to accessing critical skills amid a wide- Broadly, there is no question that each of the six countries
spread qualified talent shortage. The future of job out- analyzed could reap social and economic benefits from
sourcing is bright, and the potential it offers developing pursuing this growth opportunity. However, though this
MENA countries is very exciting. This research shows that study provides insights to various institutional stakeholders
each country has a unique combination of areas it should (such as policymakers, employers and not-for-profit institu-
focus on and talent and ecosystem gaps to close. Howev- tions) and could potentially give rise to tangible impact in
er, each of the six countries studied exhibits strong poten- terms of talent upskilling and employment opportunities,
tial to become a talent hub for offshore job outsourcing, countries and decision-makers must keep in mind:
with the prospect of substantial employment and econom-
ic benefits. • Despite labor being qualified in select areas of focus for
many countries, this study provides a snapshot of the
As such, this study results in potential implications for labor force qualifications. As such, talent must contin-
different stakeholder groups across the focus countries uously be skilled, upskilled, and re-skilled to cope with
that if addressed, can significantly enhance the remote and the needs of the constantly and rapidly evolving labor
even the overall labor market ecosystem in each country. market (as per the WEF, 50% of all employees will need
reskilling by 2025).
Policymakers should collaborate with educational institu-
tions to expand on and enhance the curriculums and the • There is significant competition across some areas of fo-
Figure 93 - Engineering design and consulting services recommendations programs offered across students’ educational journeys. cus, requiring decision-makers to further investigate the
They should also put efforts to strengthen local remote demand potential of certain jobs, and to try and differ-
work ecosystems by putting forward and implementing entiate their workforce’s offering to gain further com-
initiatives to improve the market, infrastructure, and regu- petitive advantages and be perceived as more attractive
latory landscapes. than other markets to outsource to.
Employers and corporate players should lead initiatives to • Despite focus countries currently lacking the founda-
enroll the workforce in relevant trainings and programs tions to focus on the Infrastructure Management Ser-
and incentivize the local talent to obtain certifications to vices and Data and Artificial Intelligence areas. They
further increase their efficiency and overall attractiveness should, however, plan to enable talent in such emerging
in the global labor market. Employers should also ensure and futuristic fields via addressing the various gaps
provision of adequate internship opportunities for fresh (such as curriculum gaps, lagging digital infrastructure,
graduates, as part of their contribution to upskilling the lacking trainings and programs offered, ecosystem readi-
future talent and workforce. ness, etc.) preventing them to currently supply talent.
103 MENA TALENT MAP BOSTON CONSULTING GROUP X FORWARD MENA 104
12 Appendix • Renowned news outlets (e.g., the Financial Times,
Forbes, Business Insider, etc.)
Jobs with high synergies and complementarities were then
grouped together to form 11 job clusters (Figure 96), which
were then slotted into 3 categories of job outsourcing:
• Public conferences and Ted talks
• Business Process Outsourcing (BPO)
The analysis concluded in shortlisting 30 jobs (Figure 95).
12.1 Jobs and job clusters that have potential to be. Thus, the starting point was to Most job names were adjusted to the Standard Occupa- • Information Process Outsourcing (IPO)
analyze 400+ classes of occupations in the International tional Classification (SOC), to streamline data search and
One key aspect of this study is to understand the jobs or Standard Industrial Classification (ISIC) (Figure 94). collection. • Knowledge Process Outsourcing (KPO)
functions that either have been frequently outsourced or
Source: 1. No clear mapping found in SOC classification, kept due to the momentum the job has been gaining since its emergence, 2. Carved out
from existing jobs in SOC classification
The 400+ ISIC job classes were mapped against these • Renowned international corporations (e.g., LinkedIn,
criteria to create an initial shortlist. Microsoft, BCG, etc.)
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12.2 Key demand hot spots outsourcing prospects were identified via analyzing: Figure 99 - Outsourcing benefits, drawbacks and trends (2)
The future of job outsourcing is gradually evolving to • Overall labor market trends and projections, including
further cover the more sophisticated jobs, maintain its outsourcing-specific trends
coverage of intermediary jobs, but diminish coverage of
mainstream jobs, especially ones most affected by digita- • Cluster-specific outsourcing trends and projections (in-
lization and automation. Job clusters with positive future cluding both data-driven and qualitative analyses).
107 MENA TALENT MAP BOSTON CONSULTING GROUP X FORWARD MENA 108
Figure 101 - Outsourcing benefits, drawbacks and trends (4) 12.2.2 KSA • Detailed review of PIF strategy and sectors
Four sources of input were leveraged to inform future
priority sectors and topics for KSA: • Assessment of KSA Vision Realization Programs (VRPs)
• Detailed review of KSA economic growth and diversifica- 12.2.2.1 Rationale for job outsourcing
tion (Vision 2030) KSA and Saudi based entities outsource jobs mainly in
pursuit of the following benefits:
• In-depth analysis of giga projects requirements
Talent pool access KSA estimates a deficit of ~3 million workers, expected to persist through to 2030. This sup-
ply-demand gap highlights the shortage of local talent and need for job outsourcing.
Expertise delegation Availability of expertise and strength in operational efficiencies are also drivers of outsourc-
ing, especially as organizations in KSA strive to embrace constant technological advance-
ments and disruptive technologies. For example, Saudi Aramco delegated expertise to Google
Cloud to deliver its cloud infrastructure.
Cost reduction Cost-cutting via labor arbitrage is a key benefit of outsourcing (especially for call centers,
human resources management, and accounting services). UAE’s average monthly net income 12.2.4 USA library, and legal services. These job functions were then
per capita is estimated at $2.8K in 2020, which is 280% higher than the world’s average. This Supply-demand workforce gaps were identified for major mapped to the emerging outsourcing clusters.
encourages outsourcing in order to reduce labor costs. job groups in 2020, 2025, and 2030 leveraging Faethm data.
Job functions with significant gaps and showing a strong 12.2.4.1 Rationale for job outsourcing
Talent pool access According to the UAE Skills Gap Survey, over 50 percent of companies have reported suffering
potential for outsourcing included architecture and engi- The USA and USA-based entities outsource jobs in pursuit
a skill shortage in one or more key areas. Of these, over 90 percent say they are struggling to
neering, art, design, entertainment, sport, and media, of the following benefits:
find the right candidates to fill those gaps. This supply-demand gap indicates a shortage of
computer and mathematics, educational instruction, and
talent locally and a need for outsourcing in UAE.
Expertise delegation Availability of expertise and strength in operational efficiencies are also drivers of outsourcing
in the UAE, especially with the constant technological advancements and disruptive technolo- JOB OUTSOURCING RATIONALE
gies (e.g., cloud computing).
Cost reduction Cost-cutting via labor arbitrage is a key benefit of outsourcing for US firms, with considerable
differences in wages, employee taxes, and insurance fees. For every dollar of corporate spend-
ing that moves offshore, U.S. companies save 58 cents.
Talent pool shortage A talent shortage in the US is driving employers to look for the required skills and labor over-
seas.
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12.2.5 France product development, digital transformation, digital sales, India serves six key job clusters when it comes to outsourc- mentation & management, (5) IT consulting and support,
Public reports were leveraged to identify 7 industries facing and big data analytics. These job functions were then ing: (1) CRM, including call centers, (2) Content & docu- (6) Specialized research and market intelligence.
talent shortage in France including banking and finance, mapped to the emerging outsourcing clusters. ment processing, (3) Finance and accounting services, (4)
construction, education, health, and government, IT and Software and applications development, integration, imple Key countries served include the United States, the United
technology, manufacturing, restaurants and hotels, whole- 12.2.5.1 Rationale for job outsourcing Kingdom, European Union countries.
sale, and retail trade, as well as future jobs that will plausi- France and France-based entities outsource jobs in pursuit
bly face talent gaps including information security, digital of the following benefits:
Cost reduction Cost-cutting via labor arbitrage is a key benefit of outsourcing, considering the significant
level of social charges and employee taxation in France (i.e., for every euro of spending on
offshore jobs, employers are saving on average ~ 0.36 euros)
Talent pool shortage France faced a talent deficit of ~ 560 thousand highly skilled workers in 2020 and is expected
to face a 1.5 million deficit by 2030, driving employers to seek overseas talent
Cost reduction Cost-cutting via labor arbitrage is a key benefit of outsourcing, with UK employers saving on
average 40% to 60% of their costs when offshoring Workforce characteristics include: tional Association of Software and Service Companies
supporting the industry, Information Technology Act
Talent pool shortage UK is expecting a talent deficit of ~ 2.5 million highly skilled workers by 2030, driving employ-
• High number of annual graduates: ~ 3M graduates per acknowledging electronic contracts, Indian cyber law)
ers to seek overseas talent
year, with an abundant English-speaking workforce
Upskilling examples:
• Young population: Over 50% of the population is below
25 years) • Government: Developed dedicated entities and programs
12.3 Case studies In 2018 there were ~1.2 Mn BPO and ~ 4 Mn IT related for upskilling (e.g., National Skill Development Corpora-
jobs in India. It is important to note that ~ 30% of IT work • Low labor costs: ~ USD 425 per month tion, Indian Institute of Skills, Skill India Program)
12.3.1 India case study: for US companies is done abroad, mostly in India.
Outsourcing emerged in India in the 90’s, with airline Enablers include: • Private sector: Corporate partnerships (e.g., “Future
companies as the first to outsource back-office tasks fol- Main outsourcing cities in India include: Ready Talent” on digital upskilling for higher education
lowed by IT companies. The Indian government imple- • Infrastructure: High-end telecom facilities and infra- students in partnership with Microsoft, EY, GitHub and
mented at the same time economic reform programs • Bangalore (leading companies include Infosys, Wipro, structure Quess Corp)
leading to liberalization and privatization and driving more Intel, IBM, SAP, SAS, Dell, Tisco, TI, Motorola, HP, Oracle,
foreign companies to outsource to India. Yahoo) • Legal and regulatory incentives: However, key challenges are facing India’s outsourcing
ambitions:
The outsourcing market size in India (2021) was: • Chennai (leading companies include Cognizant, Stan- 1. Politically and economically stable country
dard Chartered, Polaris, EDS and Pentamedia) • Increasing attrition rates—Attrition rates have reached
• USD 7 Bn for BPO 2. Friendly tax structure 40% at some companies resulting in quality issues as
• Hyderabad (leading companies include Google and output is affected by employee change
• USD 14.8 Bn for IT outsourcing Microsoft) 3. Supportive policies to the IT industry (e.g., India Na-
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• Increased labor costs—Compared to other outsourcing • Insufficient privacy and security laws—Outsourcing Figure 104 - Key job clusters served in Bangladesh
countries, e.g., Bangladesh, Philippines, etc.) comes with a risk of losing intellectual properties (e.g.,
trade secrets) and a risk of breach of data privacy
• Cultural Differences—Differences in working style, deci-
sion making, and organizational structure play a major Bangalore is the largest city when it comes to talent pool
role in reducing cross-border efficiencies supply for offshore companies looking to source-in foreign
talent. See in image below the characteristics of Bangalore.
exemption for the IT-enabled service (ITES) companies • Electricity shortage—Gap between electricity demand
and SMEs, BASIS2 and BCC3 continuously working to and production is bound to increase in the coming years
build-up outsourcing sector
• Internet connectivity—Bangladesh ranks 129th on Ook-
Upskilling examples: la’s 2021 Speedtest Global Index
• Government: ICT Ministry-led training program - Learn- • Communication skills—Inadequate English communica-
ing and Earning Development Projects (LEDP) tion skills prevent freelancing professionals from getting
a job in the BPO sector or pursuing work with global
• Not-for-profits: WEF education accelerator launched in clients
Bangladesh, to ensure high-quality education for youth
12.3.2 Bangladesh case study Key countries served include Japan, China, Singapore, and • Online money transactions—Bangladesh Government
Outsourcing emerged in Bangladesh in 2008, with call others (incl. US, UK and EU countries) but less frequent. • Private sector: Private-led initiatives/ platforms to accel- does not allow online transaction yet
centers at the heart of it. In 2009, other BPO related jobs erate upskilling of population (incl. Upskill, Uttoron, etc.)
gained traction in outsourcing out of Bangladesh. Workforce characteristics include: Dhaka is the largest city when it comes to talent pool
However, key challenges are facing Bangladesh’s outsourc- supply for offshore companies looking to source-in foreign
The outsourcing market size in Bangladesh (2017) was Majority of outsourcing is done via freelancing ing ambitions: talent. See in image below the characteristics of Dhaka.
USD 300 Mn for BPO (20% growth year-on-year since 2009)
Quick learning abilities and excellent work ethics
In 2017 there were ~40k BPO related jobs in Bangladesh.
Freelancing service provision occupies most of the out- Low labor costs (~ USD 300 average monthly salary)
sourcing jobs in the country.
Enablers include:
Dhaka is the main outsourcing city in the country (leading
companies include IBM, Accelerance, Tech Mahindra, Capita) • Infrastructure: Steady growth in digital infrastructure
(among the top 10 countries to show remarkable im-
Bangladesh serves three key job clusters when it comes to provement in service quality, per Upwork)
outsourcing: (1) Infrastructure management services, (2)
Software and applications development, integration, imple- • Legal and regulatory incentives: Business-friendly pol-
mentation & management, (3) IT consulting and support. icies of the Bangladesh government (e.g., 100% tax
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Figure 105 - Dhaka zoom-in Software and applications development, integration, imple- Upskilling examples:
mentation & management, (3) IT consulting and support.
• Government: Extensive network (clusters) of publicly
Key countries served include European countries (most funded technical universities
notably Switzerland, Malta, Germany, Cyprus, Nether-
lands), United Kingdom, and Canada. • Private sector:
• Most IT specialists have specialized higher ed and are 2. Numerous non-formal IT education institutes emerged
proficient in English language (including Beetroot academy, Go IT, Step IT, etc.)
Figure 106 - Key job clusters served in Ukraine Figure 107 - Ukraine IT clusters
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Local IT companies, educational institutions, legal and Key countries served include the United States, Australia, lion Filipinos through upskilling vouchers, scholarships • Managerial scarcity—Despite the surplus of talent
financial advisors often come together to create horizontal New Zealand and others (including a few European and immersions, student grants) across all occupations at the entry level in the Philip-
communities referred to as IT clusters (see image below). countries). pines, management ability is not matched
The main areas of focus for IT clusters are: However, key challenges are facing the Philippines’ out-
Workforce characteristics include: sourcing ambitions: • Security and natural risks—Philippines is not the most
• Education and efforts to make IT occupations more attractive destination in terms of security threats and
popular • English proficiency, with a youth literacy rate as high as • High attrition rates—High turnover of BPO workers put- natural disasters
97.94% ting further strain on employers’ ability to train workers
• Analytical research of the industry for higher value-added activities Manila is the largest city when it comes to talent pool
• Ability to adapt to different cultures supply for offshore companies looking to source-in foreign
• Holding events and conferences on relevant topics • Increased labor costs—Compared to other outsourcing talent. See in image below the characteristics of Manila.
• Low labor costs (~ USD 360 average monthly salary) countries with lower wages (e.g., Bangladesh)
• Support for new businesses, startup competitions, etc.
Enablers include:
12.3.4 Philippines case study
In 1992, an international Global Resource Center initiated • Infrastructure: High quality broadband infrastructure Figure 109 - Manila zoom-in
the local BPO industry in the country. In 1995, Congress (strong push to improve Philippines’s positioning and
passed the Special Economic Zone Act, paving the way for access to internet services during Covid-19 crisis)
the creation of the Philippine Economic Zone Authority
(PEZA) and driving international BPOs in the country. • Legal and regulatory incentives:
The BPO outsourcing market size in the Philippines (2017) 1. Tax reliefs and exemptions (e.g., exemption from corpo-
was ~ USD 30 Bn, with 8% to 10% year on year growth. rate income tax)
In 2017 there were ~670k BPO, and ~200k IT related jobs 2. Special Economic Zones Philippine Economic Zone
in the Philippines. Authority
Main outsourcing cities include Quezon City, Manila, and Upskilling examples:
Cebu.
• Government: Developed dedicated upskilling programs
The Philippines serves five key job clusters when it comes (e.g., Philippine Skills Framework)
to outsourcing: (1) CRM, including call centers, (2) Content
& document processing, (3) Human resource manage- • Private sector: Upskilling programs via the Information
ment, (4) IT consulting and support, (5) Creative services Technology and Business Process Association of the
and design. Philippines (IBPAP) (5-year program targeting one mil-
Main outsourcing cities include Beijing, Shanghai, and • Competitive wages (starting from $300 per month)
Guangzhou.
• Highly skilled workers with comprehensive trainings
China serves five four job clusters when it comes to out-
sourcing: (1) CRM, including call centers, (2) Content & Enablers include:
document processing, (3) Human resource management,
• Infrastructure: Improvements in infrastructure to sup-
(4) IT consulting and support. port the outsourcing industry
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Figure 110 - Key job clusters served in China Figure 111 - Key job clusters served in Poland
• Legal and regulatory incentives: • Weak Data Privacy Law—No comprehensive law ad- Key countries served include France, Germany, Nordic Upskilling examples:
dressing data privacy protection, and high risk of losing countries (Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Norway), and the
1. Tax breaks to encourage development outside key out- intellectual properties (e.g., business plans) United States. • Government:
sourcing centers
• Language barrier—Lack of English fluency is impeding Workforce characteristics include: 1. Providing companies with government grants for em-
2. Loans and credit insurance for outsourcing enterprises China’s current efforts to serve the North American and ployees
European markets • High level of specialized expertise with Cultural proximi-
3. Funds and incentives to improve technical trainings to ty to Western Europe 2. Expanding career counselling services in education insti-
achieve international certification levels • Strong competition—Competition from abroad is in- tutions training with targeted funding
creasing (e.g., India with many years of experience work- • Low labor costs and low labor turnover (50% of EU
Upskilling examples: ing with large multinational companies) average) 3. Improving support for effective teaching (e.g., forum for
providing best practices guidance)
• Government: 12.3.6 Poland case study • Knowledge of European languages
The outsourcing industry in Poland has been growing • Private sector: Regular workshops on digital skills
1. Financial support granted to companies and social train- since 1995. Poland started to get recognized as an out- Enablers include: acquisition
ing agencies for launching training courses on profes- sourcing destination post its admission to the European
sional skills Union in 2004. • nfrastructure: Cheap, fast and stable internet services However, key challenges are facing Poland’s outsourcing
ambitions:
2. Digital trainings and certifications provided by China’s The outsourcing market in Poland (2021) contributes ~ • Legal and regulatory incentives:
National Centre for Educational Technology 3.5% to the country’s GDP. • Regional stability – Due to the recent unfortunate events
1. Tax exemptions and allowances in Special Economic involving Russia and Ukraine and impacting regional
• Not-for-profits: Reform development programs for a Main outsourcing cities include Warszawa, Kraków, and Zones stability and business confidence
skilled workforce (e.g., partnership between World Bank Gdańsk.
and technical colleges to carry out curriculum reforms) 2. Support of R&D activities through grants (e.g., Applied • Shrinking labor pool—Population of Poland has been
Poland serves six four job clusters when it comes to out- Research Program) and establishment of the “Outsourc- decreasing over the last years, impacting human capital
However, key challenges are facing China’s outsourcing sourcing: (1) Human resource management, (2) Finance ing Institute” available for outsourcing
ambitions: and accounting services, (3) IT consulting and support, (4)
Legal services, (5) Specialized research and market intelli-
gence, (6) Creative and design services.
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12.4 Supply methodology: Labor qualifications rankings of countries’ university programs worldwide, and 12.5 Lebanon
and abundance existence of notable and/or global players operating in the
country of focus. Labor abundance was also evaluated 12.5.1 Value proposition for job outsourcing were assessed to identify Lebanon’s
12 different remote work talent personas suitable for out- based on a set of metrics such as the number of fresh The five key pillars for a successful talent pool ecosystem value proposition and competitive advantages.
sourcing were identified and analyzed to assess labor graduates from relevant university programs annually (e.g.,
qualifications and abundance in the countries of focus. software / computer engineering fresh graduates for the
functional tech guru), and the percentage of labor working
For each persona, labor qualifications were assessed using in the field from total workforce (e.g., percentage of labor PILLARS DIMENSIONS KEY FINDINGS
a set of metrics such as the ranking of the country’s quality working in the education sector from total workforce, for
of education system, ranking of the country on digital skills, the educator). • 21% of the population holds a university degree and above
• Lebanon ranks in top 25 countries worldwide on digital skills
and ability of skilled labor, 18th for the quality of its educational
Figure 112 - The 12 remote work talent personas Labor qualifications
system, and 4th for quality of Math and Science Education
• Country is home to 4 world-class universities that rank in top 30
in Arab region, such as the American University of Beirut (#252
worldwide, #4 in the Arab region, and #73 in graduate employ-
ability)
• Lebanon offers a pool of readily available tri-lingual labor, with
qualified talents fluent in at least 2 languages (Arabic, English,
Language proficiency or French)
• 43% of schools use French as the foreign language, 34% use
English, and 23% use both
• Lebanon ranks 71st place globally in the INSEAD Global Talent
Labor availability and
Competitiveness Index 2021
qualifications
• Country ranks 5th out of 134 countries in ease of finding skilled
employees in the GTCI 2021
• 89% of the population lives in urban areas, meaning that most
workers have access to decent telecom infrastructure or live in
proximity to well-equipped co-working spaces
Labor availability
• Overall unemployment rate increased from 11.4% in 2018-2019
to 29.6% in 2022, and youth unemployment rate reached 47.8%
in 2022, due to the economic crisis and COVID pandemic
• Many mid-career professionals are at risk of leaving the country
in search for better opportunities
• Weak physical and telecom infrastructures put rural population
at disadvantage
• Labor is cost-competitive, nearly 27% less costly than GCC coun-
Labor cost
tries and nearly 55% lower than developed countries
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PILLARS DIMENSIONS KEY FINDINGS PILLARS DIMENSIONS KEY FINDINGS
• Lebanon’s political risk score is high (3.8 – where scores > 3.2 • Series of financial and non-financial incentives for investment
are deemed high), among the highest in MENA and globally projects are offered to local and foreign investors in key sectors
Political stability through 2 incentive schemes:
• Lebanon ranks 127th in political stability (2021 Global Talent
Competitive Index) Tax exemptions and – The Package Deal Contract Scheme, offering incentives for
incentives for busi- large scale projects
• Lebanon’s economic risk score is high (6.5 – where scores >
nesses – The Investment Project by Zone, offering incentives for small
3.2 are deemed high), among highest in the world given severe
economic crisis and high inflation rates; however, existence of a and medium sized projects located in the regions with the
strong, innovative, & highly-ranked startup ecosystem highest socio-economic challenges
• Recent economic crisis ranks in top 10 most severe crises glob- • Corporate income taxes are fixed at 17%
Economic stability
ally since mid-19th century • No special economic zones currently exist in Lebanon; efforts
• Real GDP plummeted from about USD 45 billion in 2018 to Special economic to establish such zones were undertaken but faced significant
Market environment USD 33.5 billion in 2021 zones’ availability delays in operationalization due to the economic crisis (for ex-
• Inflation rates on consumer prices reached 210% in 2022 ample the Tripoli Special Economic Zone - TSEZ)
• Lebanon is strategically located close to well-known regional and Regulatory landscape • No comprehensive data protection legislation is in place, but
global demand hot spots (1 to 2-hour time difference with the privacy provisions are contained in Law No. 81 on Electronic
Proximity to well- UAE, KSA, Qatar, and major European counties) Transaction and Personal Data
known demand hot Data and IP protec-
• Global companies, especially American and East Asian, can ben- tion laws • Although Lebanon is not a member of the World Trade Organi-
spots zation (WTO), its intellectual property rights (IPR) legislation
efit from a time zone advantage given the geographical, central
location of the country is generally compliant with Trade-Related Intellectual Property
Rights (TRIPS) standards. However, IPR enforcement is weak
Cultural similarity • Lebanon has a multilingual population and vast diaspora
with well-known de- bridging the cultural gap between Lebanon and the other Arab, • Government is actively involved in enabling set-ups of outsourc-
mand hot spots European, and American countries ing businesses, such as:
– The Investment Development Authority of Lebanon (IDAL)
• Internet penetration reached 94% in 2019 (versus 63% global)
Regulations governing offering information and facilitation
• Broadband speeds are low relative to global standards, but im- job outsourcing – Ministry of Telecommunications is aiding on the regulatory
proved drastically over last decade
Telecom infrastructure front and facilitating the issuance of licenses to call centers
readiness • Mobile broadband download speeds stand at 45 Mbps
• There are no specific regulations that exist to govern job match-
• Fiber-optic network is currently under deployment, with services ing platforms in the country
offered in key locations in the country (e.g., Achrafieh, Hamra
and Ras Beirut) • Government’s investment in skilling, re-skilling and upskilling
talent is relatively weak; few initiatives were launched to provide
• Lebanon ranks 2nd in the region in the Digital Access Index technical training:
(DAI)
• Development 2018-2022 National Strategic Framework for TVET
• Country ranks medium in the GovTech Maturity Index Governmental efforts with UNICEF & ILO; however, framework hasn’t been imple-
Digital maturity levels
• In 2017, the digital transformation initiative was launched by the mented yet
government to set the course for developing a national digital • Establishment of development centers and training programs by
transformation strategy Ministries; however, those programs are fragmented and do not
Talent skilling, upskill-
• Lebanon suffers from long-term structural vulnerabilities, includ- cater for labor market’s needs
ing and re-skilling
Infrastructure ing low-grade infrastructure, such as a dysfunctional electricity landscape • Insufficient qualified labor placements and apprenticeships are
sector, and water supply shortages offered to meet the demand for training in the workplace
• The public transit sector faces challenges in terms of availability, Private sector efforts • Strong support network of private training institutions where the
Physical infrastructure accessibility, and quality country has the one of highest concentration of training institu-
readiness • Lebanon ranks 127th globally (out of 141) for quality of road tions per capita in any MENA country (e.g., BDD, Berytech, etc.)
infrastructure
• Lebanon is home to several non-profits that launched multiple
• Urban areas, especially Beirut, face huge traffic congestion (cost Not-for-profit institu-
initiatives to skill, re-skill and upskill talent across multiple areas
of congestion in Beirut is estimated to be more than 2% of the tions’ efforts
related to future of work, including digital and technology
city’s gross regional product)
• Lebanon offers abundant A-class office space, available in both
the capital and urban cities, offering prime infrastructure, con-
Access to working nectivity, and a vibrant business environment
stations equipped for
remote work • Co-working spaces with proper infrastructure (internet, elec-
tricity, etc.) are offered for freelancers, such as Berytech, BDD,
Antwork, the Koozspace, and others
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Figure 113 - Not-for-profit training programs in Lebanon QUALIFICATIONS ABUNDANCE
PILLARS
ASSESSMENT
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QUALIFICATIONS ABUNDANCE 12.5.2 Recommendations
Clusters and areas of focus were categorized into quick to market and require enabling.
PILLARS
ASSESSMENT
< 2 years of relevant work experience Figure 114 - Lebanon supply-side areas of focus categorization
Medium Medium
• 2 marketing university programs in top • ~400 marketing graduates annually
700 worldwide (American University of Bei-
rut and Lebanese American University)
The Marketing Guru
2+ years of relevant work experience
Medium Medium
• Existing marketing ecosystem in place with • Existing marketing ecosystem with 10 to
notable / global players (e.g., Leo Burnett) 20 SMEs (10 to 50 employees each), most
of which serve markets beyond Lebanon
< 2 years of relevant work experience
Low Low
• Only 1 art & design university program in • <200 graphic design graduates annually
top 700 worldwide (Lebanese University)
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12.6 Jordan PILLARS DIMENSIONS KEY FINDINGS
12.6.1 Value proposition • Jordan’s political risk score is medium and evaluated at 2.4
The five key pillars for a successful talent pool ecosystem for job outsourcing were assessed to identify Jordan’s value Political stability (where scores > 3.2 are deemed high)
proposition and competitive advantages.
• Ranks 83rd out of 134 countries in political stability in 2019
• Jordan’s economic risk score is low and evaluated at 2.1 (where
scores > 3.2 are deemed high)
PILLARS DIMENSIONS KEY FINDINGS • Jordan’s GDP increased from US$41 billion in 2021 and is cur-
Economic stability
rently growing at 2.2% annually
• 43% of population have high school & above education and 20% • Jordan ranks 4th across MENA countries in economic freedom
have university degrees in 2018
• There are high enrollment levels in higher education with 340k
enrolled students (4.6% of population) • Jordan is strategically located close to well-known regional and
global demand hot spots
Labor qualifications • Jordan is home to world-class universities such as University
of Jordan that is ranked 10th in the Arab world and 80% of the • No time difference with many GCC and European countries
Market environment Proximity to well- such as Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, United Kingdom and
universities offer IT-related programs
known demand hot Greece
• Jordan ranks 43rd in quality of education system and 62nd in
spots – 1–2-hour time difference with GCC and other MENA countries
quality of math and science education
such as the United Arab Emirates and Egypt
• Most of the population is fluent in verbal and written Arabic • Global companies, especially in GCC and Europe, can benefit
with a literacy rate of 98% from such a time zone advantage
Language proficiency • Jordan ranks low in the EF English Proficiency Index; however,
many educated Jordanians have high bilingual proficiency in • Language is a key cultural differentiator for Jordan connecting it
Arabic and English as they are both the primary languages of to GCC countries
the country’s education system Cultural similarity – Jordan’s official language is Arabic. In addition, many qualified
with well-known de- labors speak English
• Jordan ranks 63rd in the 2021 Global Talent Competitiveness mand hot spots • The Jordanian diaspora, mainly concentrated in GCC, Europe
Labor availability and Index (GTCI)
and Americas, also plays a pivotal role in bridging the cultural
qualifications • Labor force is nearly 2.7M with 50k new graduates joining the gap between Jordan’s and the other countries’ cultures
labor force annually
• Unemployment rate is high (23% overall and 32% for youth) due
to mismatch between skills needed by job market & education
output
• 92% of the population lives in urban areas with access to decent
Labor availability telecom
• Qualified and highly skilled labor is available
– 22% of university graduates hold degrees in IT, Computer
Science and Engineering
– 35% of unemployed people have university and above educa-
tion
– Ranks 21st out of 134 countries in ease of finding skilled em-
ployees in the 2021 GTCI
• Jordan offers a pool of highly cost competitive labor
Labor cost – Ranks high in financial attractiveness of outsourcing in 2016
Global Services Location Index
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PILLARS DIMENSIONS KEY FINDINGS PILLARS DIMENSIONS KEY FINDINGS
• Internet penetration in Jordan reached 66.8% versus global • Government has been providing several incentives to improve
penetration of 63% business climate leading Jordan to climb 29 spots in the ease
• Jordan’s median mobile internet speed reached 19 Mbps (30% of doing business ranking between 2019 & 2020 (From 104th to
Telecom infrastructure 75th).
growth from 2021) and median fixed internet speed reached 53
readiness
Mbps Tax exemptions and • These incentives include:
• The country has 99% 4G, fiber and broadband internet coverage, incentives for busi- – 0% income tax on revenues from ICT exports and no customs
and 5G coverage will be introduced soon nesses fees on ICT production inputs
• Jordan ranks high in the GovTech Maturity Index (GTMI) in 2020 – BPO services park enabling global firms to undertake back-of-
fice business in the country
– GTMI measures the level of a government’s investment in
ICT infrastructure and the availability of digital government • Corporate incomes taxes are fixed at 14% - relatively low com-
institutions and policies pared to peers (e.g., Egypt, Lebanon)
Digital maturity levels
• Government launched a 4-year National Digital Transformation • Jordan has a well-established system consisting over 14 develop-
in 2021 with the goal of using data processing and AI technol- ment and free zones
ogies to digitally transform vital sectors such as energy and Special economic • Incentives provided to companies in the zones include tax ex-
Infrastructure finance sectors zones’ availability emptions, exemptions from customs duties on imports/exports,
• Jordan has severe water scarcity; however, over 98% of the popu- Regulatory landscape 100% foreign ownership guarantees, facilitated visa permits, and
lation has access to improved water sources and nearly 100% of ease of return of capital and profits to the country of origin
the population has access to electricity • Jordan has no data protection laws in place and no regulatory
Physical infrastructure • Jordan ranks 59th out of 141 countries in quality of road infra- body dedicated to governing data protection; however, there is a
readiness structure Data Protection Law being currently drafted
Data and IP protec-
• The country’s public transportation sector is underdeveloped tion laws • The country passed several laws in line with international com-
and faces a lot of challenges in terms of high costs, poor cover- mitments to protect intellectual property rights and is a signa-
age, low quality regional disparities and low capacity tory to World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) treaties
and to the Patent Cooperation Treaty and the Madrid Protocol
• Jordan offers abundant A-class office space, available in both the
capital and urban cities, offering prime infrastructure, connectiv- • Government is actively involved in enabling easy setup of out-
Access to working ity, and a vibrant business environment sourcing businesses
stations equipped for
remote work • Co-working spaces with proper infrastructure (internet, electrici- – For example, government has 7 free trade agreements with
Regulations governing
ty, etc.) are offered for freelancers, such as: Coworker, Regus, and countries such as the US granting Jordanians access to 1.5B
job outsourcing
Antwork customers, and has 55 bilateral investment treaties
• There are no specific regulations that exist to govern job match-
ing platforms in the country
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PILLARS DIMENSIONS KEY FINDINGS 12.6.2 Remote work talent personas outsourcing were identified and analyzed to assess talent
Twelve different remote work talent personas suitable for qualification and abundance in Jordan.
• Ministry of Digital Economy and Entrepreneurship developed
programs to train unemployed youth:
– “Graduate Internship Program”: providing youth with job
placement opportunities & covering 50% of their wages for the QUALIFICATIONS ABUNDANCE
duration of the training (12 months) PILLARS
Governmental efforts – “National Upskilling ICT Program”: training 500 unemployed ASSESSMENT
graduates annually on digital & soft skills
High High
• Partnering with public and private organizations such as Al
Qusour Academy and Microsoft to provide free digital training The Operator • High ranking (31st out 141 countries) on • ~45% of workforce with high school and
programs to unemployed Jordanian youth in order to address digital skills above level of education
the shortage of digital talent in Jordan • Bilingual labor
• Many private companies do not offer enough formal training Medium Medium
within their firms
The Finance & Ac- • Only 1 finance & accounting university • ~1.5% of workforce in finance & insurance
– Jordan ranks 97th out 108 countries in prevalence of training counting Specialist
Talent skilling, upskill- program in top 700 worldwide (University sector
in firms (2021 GTCI)
ing and re-skilling of Jordan) • 3k+ accounting graduates annually
landscape Private sector efforts • Corporations developed partnerships to skill, re-skill and upskill
Jordanian youth < 2 years of relevant work experience
– Orange Jordan and Ericsson partnered to deliver a digital High Medium
learning program aiming to skill, re-skill and upskill job-seek-
ing ICT sector graduates by providing courses on data science, • 4 computer engineering university pro- • ~8k computer and software engineering
automation, AI and machine learning The Functional Tech grams in top 700 worldwide graduates annually
Guru 2+ years of relevant work experience
• Jordan is home to several non-profits that launched multiple
initiatives to skill, re-skill and upskill talent across multiple areas Medium Low
related to future of work, including digital and technology
– Organizations such as UNICEF launched an impact sourcing • Some global players (e.g., Microsoft) operat- • ~1.2% of the workforce part of the ICT
Not-for-profit institu- ing in computer engineering field sector
platform, to provide Jordanian youth with digital skills train-
tions’ efforts
ings, and to connect freelancers from underserved communi- < 2 years of relevant work experience
ties with different employment opportunities
High Low
– Other organizations include: UNICEF, Leaders International,
Spark, and UNHCR • 4 computer science university programs in • <1k computer science graduates annually
top 700 worldwide
The Specialized Tech
Guru 2+ years of relevant work experience
Figure 115 - Not-for-profit training programs in Jordan Low Low
• No notable players operating in the AI / • Low supply of experienced computer
machine learning field scientists, data scientists, AI, and machine
learning specialists
< 2 years of relevant work experience
Low Medium
• No Jordanian law university programs on • ~2k law graduates annually
list of top programs worldwide
The Legal Specialist
2+ years of relevant work experience
Medium Medium
• Some notable regional firms with offices in • 13k+ practicing lawyers – all of which are
Jordan (e.g., Eversheds Sutherland LLP) registered in the Bar Association
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QUALIFICATIONS ABUNDANCE QUALIFICATIONS ABUNDANCE
PILLARS PILLARS
ASSESSMENT ASSESSMENT
The Design Engineer • Only 1 engineering university program • ~10k engineering and architecture gradu- 2+ years of relevant work experience
ranks in top 700 worldwide ( Jordan Univer- ates annually
sity of Science and Technology) High High
• ~180k engineers in the country
• Several renowned hospitals (3) among top • ~30k doctors working in the country
< 2 years of relevant work experience 1000 hospitals worldwide • 28 doctors per 10k people
Low Low
Medium High
• No Jordanian media university programs • ~500 audiovisual, media, and tv/ film grad- The Educator • Medium ranking (43rd in the world) for • ~8.5% of employed population working in
on list of top media programs worldwide uates annually
The Audiovisual Maker quality of education the education sector
2+ years of relevant work experience
Low Low
• No media outlets with regional outreach • ~0.2% of workforce in entertainment and 12.6.3 Recommendations
operating in the country media sector Clusters and areas of focus were categorized into quick to market and require enabling.
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12.7 Iraq PILLARS DIMENSIONS KEY FINDINGS
12.7.1 Value proposition for job outsourcing were assessed to identify Jordan’s value • Iraq’s political risk is high (4.0 – where scores > 3.2 are deemed
The five key pillars for a successful talent pool ecosystem proposition and competitive advantages. Political stability
high), among the highest in MENA and globally
• Iraq’s economic risk score is medium (2.7 – where scores > 3.2
are deemed high)
• GDP is estimated to have edged up by 1.3% in 2021, after a
PILLARS DIMENSIONS KEY FINDINGS sharp contraction of 11.3% in 2020
• Inflation rates on consumer prices reached ~6% in 2021
Economic stability
• ~60% of youth, largest segment of population, lack digital skills • The country’s excessive dependence on oil exposes it to macro-
needed for employment economic volatility
• Today, there are ~3.2 million school-aged Iraqi children out of • However, Iraq’s economic conditions are gradually improving as
school international oil markets recover and the easing of COVID 19
Labor qualifications • Only ~19%3 of college-age population in Iraq have access to restrictions restore domestic economic activity
tertiary education
• Iraq is strategically located close to well-known regional and
• Iraq is home to few renowned higher-education institutions, with Market environment global demand hot spots:
the exception of University of Baghdad that ranks in top 30 in
Arab region and top 1,000 worldwide (QS University Rankings) – No time difference with Saudi Arabia and Qatar
Proximity to well-
known demand hot – 1–hour time difference with United Arab Emirates (UAE) and
• Iraqis have strong verbal and written proficiency in Arabic (litera- major European counties
cy rate of 85%) spots
• Global companies, especially American and East Asian, can ben-
• Arabic and Kurdish are Iraq’s official languages efit from a time zone advantage given the geographical, central
Language proficiency • English is the only compulsory foreign language taught in Iraqi location of the country
schools at present
• Iraq’s official language is Arabic, and many qualified labors
• English is a mandatory subject in the Iraqi educational system speak English, connecting the country to several Arabic-speak-
from the 1st to the 12th grades ing and English-speaking countries
Cultural similarity
Labor availability and • There is high abundance of job-seeking Iraqis - the country is with well-known de- • Iraqi diaspora, one of the largest in modern times due to the
qualifications facing a job crisis with incredibly low employment opportunities mand hot spots wars that hit the country, is concentrated the US, Europe, and
• National unemployment rate is estimated at ~14.2% in 2021 the Middle East, and can play a pivotal role in bridging the cul-
tural gap between Iraq and the other countries
• Iraq has one of the lowest employment-to-total population ratios
in the region (ILO)
• More than 25% of tertiary education graduates are unemployed
or inactive in the labor market
Labor availability
• ~25% of the working-age population is underutilized – either
unemployed or underemployed
• Iraq’s private sector, which accounts to roughly 40% to 50% of
employment, is mainly informal
– Compared to the public sector, employment in the private
sector has lower average wages, job security, and benefits, and
often lacks formal contracts
• Iraq’s workforce is cost competitive
Labor cost – Graduate software engineers in Iraq earn an average annu-
al salary of ~$10k – relatively low compared to peers (E.g.,
Tunisia)
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PILLARS DIMENSIONS KEY FINDINGS PILLARS DIMENSIONS KEY FINDINGS
• Internet penetration in Iraq reached 50% in 2021 versus global • Foreign investors are offered some financial and non-financial
of 63% incentives
• Telecom services and infrastructure were damaged due to the – E.g., 10-year tax exemption, import duties exemptions and
wars that hit the country ability to repatriate capital brought into Iraq and to trade on
Tax exemptions and the Iraqi Stock Exchange
Telecom infrastructure • Operators have struggled to develop LTE services, because of incentives for busi-
readiness damaged infrastructure and wrangles with the government and • Iraq has 32 bilateral trade agreements worldwide and 9 FTAs
nesses
regulator concerning the conditions of their licenses with MENA countries; however, the FTAs are currently suspend-
• Optic fiber is very limited as investment and competition in its ed pending a review by the government
provision is extremely limited due to government’s exclusive • Corporate income taxes are relatively low and fixed at 15% with
authority over fiber, making prices highest in the region no progressive tax rate scale
• Iraq’s digital maturity is low • Iraq is home to 4 official free zones offering significant incen-
– Iraq ranks low in the GovTech Maturity Index tives including customs exemption, VAT exemption, offshore
banking permission, etc.
– Public-sector platforms (e.g., e-government), including online Special economic
business registration, are still in early phases, and private-sec- • Several relevant activities are permitted in the free zones (e.g.,
zones’ availability
Digital maturity levels tor platforms (e.g., e-commerce) are still nascent trading operations and banking, insurance and service activities)
– In July 2022, the UNDP signed under a Memorandum of • More zones are being developed to boost economic cooperation
Infrastructure Regulatory landscape (e.g., joint zone with Jordan)
Understanding with the government to assess the digital
landscape in Iraq and develop a roadmap for main priorities • Iraq has IP-related laws in the penal code and is a signatory to
of digital transformation the World Intellectual Property Organization and the Patent
• Despite the country’s vast oil and gas reserves, Iraqis do not Data and IP protec- Cooperation Treaty
have access to adequate electricity for basic needs tion laws • There is no codified law which governs data protection; data
• The quality of water and sanitation services is also low, unequal, protection is rather governed briefly under various laws (e.g.,
and inconsistent: only 28% of the population has access to a Constitution, Penal Code, Civil Code among other laws)
Physical infrastructure piped sewerage network
readiness • Government has weak involvement when it comes to enabling
• Transport system is fragmented, forming an obstacle to national easy setup of outsourcing businesses
and regional development – Involvement is limited to the provision of financial and non-fi-
• In all priority infrastructure sectors, role of the private sector is nancial incentives
limited in depth and coverage Regulations governing
job outsourcing – Iraq has 32 bilateral trade agreements worldwide and 9 FTAs
• A limited number of co-working spaces with adequate infra- with MENA countries; however, the FTAs are currently sus-
Access to working pended pending a review by the government
structure (internet, electricity, etc.) is offered for freelancers and
stations equipped for
entrepreneurs, such as The Station, Erbil Innovation House, • There are no specific regulations that exist to govern job match-
remote work
CoWork, Business Avenue, and Tech Hub ing platforms in the country
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PILLARS DIMENSIONS KEY FINDINGS 12.7.2 Remote work talent personas outsourcing were identified and analyzed to assess talent
Twelve different remote work talent personas suitable for qualification and abundance in Iraq.
• Government has implemented multiple initiatives to skill, re-
skill and upskill talent:
– The Ministry of Communications has its own training institu-
tion and employs many of its own graduates in its workforce QUALIFICATIONS ABUNDANCE
of approximately 13,000 PILLARS
Governmental efforts – Ministry of Electricity holds multiple workshops to train un- ASSESSMENT
employed young people who do not have a university degree
in the areas of maintenance of electrical transformers Low High
• However, skills development initiatives are not comprehensive The Operator • ~60% of youth lacking digital skills needed • ~45% of workforce with high school and
and inclusive: Youth, women and poorer groups in various parts for employment above level of education
of Iraq urgently need more access to training opportunities • Bilingual labor
• Many private companies do not offer enough formal training Low Medium
within their firms:
The Finance & Ac- • No finance and accounting university pro- • ~0.5% of workforce in finance & insurance
– Only ~20% of private firms offer formal trainings to their
counting Specialist grams on list of top programs worldwide sector
Talent skilling, upskill- employees
ing and re-skilling • Some accounting firms serving local cli-
• Some large firms offer training opportunities to skill, re-skill and
landscape ents (e.g., Deloitte)
upskill Iraqi talent:
Private sector efforts
– Zain Iraq, in collaboration with Ericsson, organized a one- < 2 years of relevant work experience
month training in telecommunications for 24 top graduates Low Medium
from different universities across Iraq
– Asiacell signed an MoU with the UNDP to implement several • Only 1 computer engineering university • 11k+ ICT graduates from university and
initiatives, including supporting young entrepreneurs and start- program in top 700 worldwide (University TVET programs annually
The Functional Tech of Baghdad)
ups in developing innovative solutions to local challenges Guru
• Iraq is home to several non-profits that launched multiple ini- 2+ years of relevant work experience
tiatives to skill, re-skill and upskill talent across multiple areas Low Medium
related to future of work, including digital and technology
• No notable / global firms operating in soft- • ~3% of the workforce part of the ICT sector
Not-for-profit institu- – Iraqi Innovators is a social impact organization with a mission ware or computer engineering field
tions’ efforts to increase women’s involvement in the tech sector and train
job seekers (women are prioritized) < 2 years of relevant work experience
– Other organizations include UNDP, UNICEF, Spark, ILO, and Low Low
Seed
• Only 1 computer engineering university • ~2k computer science graduates annually
program in top 700 worldwide (University
Figure 117 - Not-for-profit training programs in Iraq The Specialized Tech
of Baghdad)
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QUALIFICATIONS ABUNDANCE QUALIFICATIONS ABUNDANCE
PILLARS PILLARS
ASSESSMENT ASSESSMENT
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12.8 Egypt PILLARS DIMENSIONS KEY FINDINGS
12.8.1 Value proposition for job outsourcing were assessed to identify Jordan’s value • Egypt’s political risk score is medium and evaluated at 2.3
The five key pillars for a successful talent pool ecosystem proposition and competitive advantages. (where scores > 3.2 are deemed high)
Political stability
• Egypt ranks 118th in political stability (2021 Global Talent Com-
petitiveness Index)
• Economic risk score is medium and evaluated at 2.9 (where
PILLARS DIMENSIONS KEY FINDINGS scores > 3.2 are deemed high) and real GDP increased at a
CAGR of 17% from about $$390B in 2018 to $420B in 2020, and
• Higher education participation rate evaluated at 30% and is expected to grow by 5.5% in FY20211/22
estimated to reach 40% by end of 2022 • Egypt is home to the 4th largest startup ecosystem in Africa
• Egypt has the largest Education system in the MENA region with Economic stability (500+) and to 20% of Africa’s tech startups
25M students currently enrolled in pre-university education and • Egypt has been affected by rising inflation (13.15%) and rising
2.6M students currently in higher education net exports deficit from the devaluation of the EGP
Labor qualifications • Egypt is home to 4 world-class universities, such as AUC, that • Government has set economic development plan “Vision 2030”
are ranked in top 15 in Arab region to increase GDP per capita, ease of doing business score, share
• Technological universities focusing on increasing tech-based Market environment of world GDP and net foreign direct investment (FDI)
employment are growing • Egypt is strategically located close to well-known regional and
• Egypt ranks 130th for in quality of education, and 122nd for global demand hot spots:
quality of Math and Science Education – No time difference with many European countries such as
• Egyptians have high written and verbal proficiency in Arabic Proximity to well- Spain, Italy and France
(75% literacy rate) known demand hot – 1–2-hour time difference with GCC countries such as United
Language proficiency • Egypt ranks low in English Proficiency Index; however, most spots Arab Emirates (UAE), Saudi Arabia and Qatar
educated Egyptians are bilingual where 35% of Egyptians speak • Global companies, especially in Europe & MENA, can benefit
English from a time zone advantage given the geographical, central
location of the country
• Egypt ranks 89th in the 2021 Global Talent Competitiveness
Index • Language is a key cultural differentiator for Egypt connecting it
Labor availability and
• As of 2019 there have been 604k higher education graduates Cultural similarity to GCC countries
qualifications
joining the labor force annually, a 6.2% increase compared to with well-known de- • Egypt has a large number of expatriates (~ 8M) residing in other
previous years mand hot spots Arab, European and American countries, and helping to bridge
– Includes 200,000 graduates from BPO related fields and the cultural gap between Egypt and such countries
50,000 from IT related fields
Labor availability • Labor force is estimated at ~ 30M with an unemployment rate
of 7.4% (50% with high school & above education)
• 43% of the population lives in urban areas, meaning that many
of the labor have access to decent telecom infrastructure or live
in proximity to well-equipped co-working spaces
• Qualified labor is readily available: unemployment level highest
for people with university & above
• education (15.7%)
• Egypt offers one of the most competitive operating cost per full-
time employee
– E.g., Average annual software developer salary is $7,500 which
Labor cost
is 60% less than labor cost for software developers in popular
outsourcing destinations such as Bulgaria, Romania or Poland
• Egypt ranks 1st in affordability of talent regionally
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PILLARS DIMENSIONS KEY FINDINGS PILLARS DIMENSIONS KEY FINDINGS
• Internet penetration in Egypt reached 72% in 2022 with nearly • Egypt’s New Investment Law provides a series of incentives for
76M internet users investment projects are offered to foreign investors and interna-
• Egypt ranks 4th in Africa & 8th in the Arab world in the internet tional businesses in key sectors
speed index and connection speed is growing where it increased Tax exemptions and • The Law protects provides investors several safeguards such
Telecom infrastructure from 6.5 Mbps in 2019 to 45.9 Mbps in 2020 incentives for busi- as guaranteeing them residence in Egypt, granting them same
readiness • The well-established fiber-optic network is currently being ex- nesses legal treatment as nationals, and allowing for smooth transfer of
tended to rural areas with a 2021 initiative connecting them to profits abroad
1413 villages in 20 governorates • Corporate incomes taxes are fixed at 22.5% - relatively high com-
• 2Africa subsea cable project is in the pipeline to improve con- pared to peers (e.g., Jordan, Lebanon)
nectivity further • Egypt has a well-established system consisting of various zones
• Egypt ranks high in the GovTech Maturity Index (GTMI), among located in strategic positions across the country with a wide
top 10 improvers in Digital Inclusion Index, leads North African range of sector focuses
Special economic
countries in Network Readiness Index rankings for 2020 – E.g., The Suez Canal Economic Zone
zones’ availability
• The country is also allocating nearly $315M in the 2022-23 fiscal • Incentives provided to companies in the zones include tax ex-
Digital maturity levels
budget for investment in digital transformation and cybersecuri- emptions, exemptions from customs duties on imports/exports,
Infrastructure ty projects Regulatory landscape and a no nationalization/confiscation guarantee
• Government injected ~$1B in investments for ICT and digital • Egypt introduced new Personal Data Protection Law in 2021
transformation between 2016 and 2020 prohibiting the processing of personal data without the consent
• Egypt has a relatively developed infrastructure where 100% of of the subject and reflects European General Data Protection
the population has access to electricity. In addition, 98% of the Data and IP protec- Regulation (GDPR)
population in urban areas and 84% in rural areas have access to tion laws • Egypt does have a system in place to protect Intellectual Prop-
Physical infrastructure safe drinking water erty Rights (IPR) with a special agency (Information Technology
readiness Development Agency) enforcing such laws; however, the system
• Egypt’s public transit sector faces a lot of challenges in terms of
availability and quality; however, the government has allocated is not complete and is still undergoing updates and refinements
$13B in FY21/2022 to develop the country’s transport sector • Government has limited involvement in enabling easy setup of
• Egypt offers abundant A-class office space, available in both the outsourcing businesses:
capital and urban cities, offering prime infrastructure, connectiv- – For example, several laws such as the New Investment Law
Access to working Regulations governing
ity, and a vibrant business environment to ease the delegation of support services to talent in Egypt
stations equipped for job outsourcing
• Co-working spaces with proper infrastructure (internet, electrici- through exemptions and guarantees
remote work
ty, etc.) are offered for freelancers, such as New Cube, 302 Labs, • There are no specific regulations that exist to govern job match-
WeWork, MQR Spaces, and Woork Hub ing platforms in the country
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PILLARS DIMENSIONS KEY FINDINGS Figure 119 - Not-for-profit training programs in Egypt
• Ministry of Communications and Information Technology
(MCIT) launched scholarship programs and e-learning courses
including software development courses to train youth in ICT
related specializations allowing them to qualify to job market
standards
• Government partnered with public and private organizations
Governmental efforts such as Egypt University of Informatics and Amazon to provide
free professional training in building digital skills
• Government allocated over $50M to train talent as a part of the
“Our Digital Future” initiative
• Information Technology Industry Development Agency (ITIDA)
offered scholarship to 350k professionals to provide training on
remote work and web technologies
• Private organizations have partnered with the government to
skill, re-skill and upskill youth
– Microsoft Egypt supported MCIT in their 2021 “Tawar W
Talent skilling, upskill-
Ghayar” initiative where they provided training on digital and
ing and re-skilling
programming skills to train 200k young people per year
landscape
Private sector efforts • Other organizations such as Cisco, BM, VMware, Valeo, AMS,
Vodafone, Microsoft, Google, Dell Technologies and Huawei in-
jected $25M to train 3k students at schools in ICT-related fields
• There is a strong support network of private online training 12.8.2 Remote work talent personas outsourcing were identified and analyzed to assess talent
providers and EdTech startups in the country (e.g., Sprints, Noon Twelve different remote work talent personas suitable for qualification and abundance in Egypt.
Academy, Praxilabs, Educatly etc.)
• Egypt is home to several non-profits that launched multiple
initiatives to skill, re-skill and upskill talent across multiple areas
related to future of work, including digital and technology: QUALIFICATIONS ABUNDANCE
– Organizations such as Microsoft have partnered with the PILLARS
Not-for-profit institu- Egyptian NGOs such as United Nations Development Pro- ASSESSMENT
tions’ efforts gram in Egypt to train young professionals in computer
science and provide digital literacy training Medium Very High
– Other organizations include: Egypt Innovate, British Council, • Medium ranking (44th out 141 countries) • 60% of workforce with high school and
UNDP, International Youth Foundation, Education for Employ- The Operator
on digital skills above level of education
ment, and Amideast
• Bilingual labor
Medium High
The Finance & Ac- • 2 accounting & finance university pro- • ~0.5% of workforce in finance & insurance
counting Specialist grams in top 700 worldwide (American sector
University in Cairo & Cairo University) • ~81k accountants & taxation graduates
annually
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QUALIFICATIONS ABUNDANCE QUALIFICATIONS ABUNDANCE
PILLARS PILLARS
ASSESSMENT ASSESSMENT
< 2 years of relevant work experience < 2 years of relevant work experience
High High Low High
• 6 computer engineering university pro- • ~25k computer and software engineering • No Egyptian media university programs on • 35k+ audiovisual, media, and tv/ film grad-
The Functional Tech grams in top 700 worldwide graduates annually list of top media programs worldwide uates annually
Guru 2+ years of relevant work experience The Audiovisual Maker 2+ years of relevant work experience
High Medium High High
• Several global players (e.g., Microsoft, IBM) • ~1% of the workforce part of the ICT sector • Several media outlets with regional out- • ~500k full-time and part-time employees
operating in computer engineering field reach operating in the country (e.g., MBC, in media and film production industry
OnTv)
< 2 years of relevant work experience
< 2 years of relevant work experience
High Low
Medium Medium
• 6 computer science university programs in • 6k+ computer science graduates annually
top 700 worldwide • Two marketing university programs in top • ~20k marketing graduates annually
The Specialized Tech 700 worldwide (American University in
2+ years of relevant work experience
Guru Cairo & Cairo University)
Low Low The Marketing Guru
2+ years of relevant work experience
• No notable players operating in the AI • High demand for data scientists (800+
High Medium
/ machine learning field (mainly small postings); however, supply is limited as 1st
startups) undergraduate data science program was • Notable regional companies established in • One of the region’s leading countries for
introduced in 2019 the country (e.g., FP7 McCann) digital marketing with over 500 agencies
serving local & regional clients
< 2 years of relevant work experience
< 2 years of relevant work experience
Low High
Low Low
• Only 1 law university program in top 700 • 50k+ law graduates annually
worldwide (Cairo University) • No Egyptian university programs on list of • ~2k graphic design graduates annually
The Legal Specialist top art and design programs worldwide
2+ years of relevant work experience
The Graphic Designer 2+ years of relevant work experience
Medium High
Low Low
• Some notable regional firms with offices in • 500k+ registered lawyers in the Bar Asso-
Egypt (e.g., Al Tamimi & Co) ciation – all of which have obtained their • No notable / global players operating in • Small pool of graphic designers in market-
license the marketing field ing agencies and freelancers on job match-
ing platforms
Medium Medium
< 2 years of relevant work experience
The Business Strate- • Global consulting firms established in • Abundancy of management consultants
gist country (e.g., BCG, McKinsey) (incl. freelancers), as well as unemployed High Low
fresh graduates from top universities that,
• 6 medical university programs in top 700 • ~10k medical doctor graduates annually
if properly trained, can fit role
worldwide
High High
The Doctor 2+ years of relevant work experience
The Design Engineer • 3 engineering university programs rank in • ~40k engineering and architecture gradu-
top 700 worldwide (Cairo University, Alex- ates annually High Low
andria University, & Ain Shams University) • Several renowned hospitals in the country • <40% of the 215k registered medical
(e.g., Dar Al Fouad, Saudi German hospi- doctors in the syndicate practicing in the
tal) country
• 7 doctors per 10k people
Low High
The Educator • Low ranking (130th in the world) for quali- • ~7.5% of employed population working in
ty of education system the education sector
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12.8.3 Recommendations 12.9 Morocco
Clusters and areas of focus were categorized into quick to market and require enabling.
12.9.1 Value proposition for job outsourcing were assessed to identify Jordan’s value
The five key pillars for a successful talent pool ecosystem proposition and competitive advantages.
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PILLARS DIMENSIONS KEY FINDINGS PILLARS DIMENSIONS KEY FINDINGS
• Morocco’s political risk score is medium (evaluated at 2.3 – • Internet penetration reached 84% in 2020 versus global of 63%
where scores > 3.2 are deemed high) • Morocco’s median download speeds of fixed connections
• Morocco ranks 85th in the world in political stability (2021 Glob- reached 13.5 Mbps in 2022 (47.7% increase from 2021)
Political stability
al Talent Competitiveness Index) Telecom infrastructure • Operators have upgraded their fiber optic network coverage and
• Morocco is deemed politically stable by multiple Western gov- readiness international connectivity
ernments (e.g., UK Government) • Morocco is one of the most mature telecommunications mar-
• Morocco’s economic risk score is medium (evaluated at 2.3 – kets in Africa offering some of the lowest prices for broadband
where scores > 3.2 are deemed high) internet access in the region
• Morocco ranks 97th in 2022 Index of Economic Freedom and • Morocco ranks high in 2020 GovTech Maturity Index and 60th in
5th among MENA countries 2022 Digital Connectivity Index
Economic stability • Morocco’s real GDP reached 139.5B $ in 2021 (growth rebound- • Morocco’s digital transformation efforts began more than a
ed to 7.4% in 2021 after contracting by 6.3% in 2020) and infla- Digital maturity levels decade ago
tion rates reached 7.2% in 2022 – Government has launched several strategies to accelerate
• Over past few years, Morocco has attempted to reform its econ- digital transformation (e.g., e-Morocco 2010, Digital Morocco
omy and strengthen resilience to external shocks by restoring 2013, Digital Morocco 2020)
macro-economic balance and cutting subsidies Infrastructure • Country has achieved impressive progress in its infrastructure
Market environment • Morocco is strategically located close to well-known regional and development
global demand hot spots: – 99.6% of Moroccan households had access to electricity and
– 0-1-hour time difference with major European counties (e.g., 80% of the population has access to safely managed drinking
UK, France) Physical infrastructure water services
Proximity to well- readiness
known demand hot – 2-hour time difference with Saudi Arabia and Qatar • Morocco ranks 41st out of 141 countries in quality of road infra-
spots – 3-hour time difference with United Arab Emirates (UAE) structure (2019 WEF Global Competitiveness Report)
• Global companies, especially European and East Asian, can ben- • Morocco has invested in urban public transport to meet de-
efit from a time zone advantage given the geographical, central mand of growing urban population
location of the country • Morocco offers abundant A-class office space, available in both
• Morocco’s history and strategic location have turned the country the capital and urban cities, offering prime infrastructure, con-
into a blend of cultures Access to working nectivity, and a vibrant business environment
– Arab, Berber, European, and African influences are all part of stations equipped for • Co-working spaces with proper infrastructure (internet, elec-
Cultural similarity the country’s unique heritage remote work tricity, etc.) are offered for freelancers and entrepreneurs, such
with well-known de- as Techverse, Sundesk, Bridges to the Future, and Dar Digital
mand hot spots • Language is also a cultural differentiator
Nomad
– Many Moroccans can speak Arabic, French, Spanish, and
English, widely used languages bridging the cultural gap be-
tween Morocco and the other countries
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PILLARS DIMENSIONS KEY FINDINGS PILLARS DIMENSIONS KEY FINDINGS
• A series of financial and non-financial incentives for investment • The government’s overarching digitalization strategy is helping
projects are offered to businesses and include: to secure specialization into demanded skills such as data ana-
– Tailor-made offers for investors lytics, cloud computing and software development:
Tax exemptions and – Digital Development Agency (ADD), which was created to exe-
– Financial incentives to cover recruitment and training cost
incentives for busi- cute Morocco’s digitalization strategy, is very active in launch-
nesses – End-to-end support from Moroccan Investment & Export
Governmental efforts ing projects with different organizations to train talent
Development Agency (AMDIE)
• In 2019, the National frame of certification (CNC) was launched
• Corporate income tax rate is fixed at 31%, the highest in the
by the Ministry of National Education, Vocational Training,
region
Higher Education and Scientific Research to enable continuity
• The establishment of 5 dedicated outsourcing business parks, and progression of talents throughout their personal and profes-
which operate under offshore status, has been key to the suc- sional lives
cess of the outsourcing sector in Morocco
Special economic • Morocco ranks 46th in prevalence of training in firms in 2021
zones’ availability – Companies are provided with a range of incentives, including Global Talent Competitiveness Index
an exemption of income and corporate taxes for the first five
• Morocco’s private sector, although fragmented, has been instru-
years of operations, discounted rates for the following 20 years Talent skilling, upskill- mental in developing several initiatives when it comes to digital
and simplified customs procedures ing and re-skilling skills
• Morocco has a law to govern privacy and data protection (Law landscape Private sector efforts
• Around 20 initiatives, led by 14 private-sector institutions, were
Regulatory landscape No 09-08, established in 2009) launched to train talent on digital topics
• Country has a relatively complete regulatory and legislative – The ICT Federation, which also acted as a stakeholder for the
system for the protection of IP preparation of Morocco’s digitalization strategies and visions,
Data and IP protec- – It is a member of the World Intellectual Property Organization launched 6 projects on digital skills development
tion laws (WIPO) and is a party to several international conventions
• Morocco is home to several non-profits that launched multiple
and agreements (e.g., Paris convention for industrial property,
initiatives to train talent across multiple areas related to future
and Madrid, Nice, Hague agreements for the protection of
of work, including digital and technology:
intellectual property)
– Since September 2020, Amideast has been working with the
• While Moroccan laws are generally adequate, enforcement is Not-for-profit institu-
government of Morocco’s Rhamna province to expand eco-
sometimes lacking tions’ efforts
nomic opportunity for the province’s youth, developing its
• Government is actively involved in enabling easy setup of out- entrepreneurial potential, and promoting local culture
sourcing businesses – Other organizations include The World Bank, ILO, UNICEF,
– For example, on top of the dedicated outsourcing business Fondation Zakoura, and Phosboucraa Foundation
Regulations governing parks, government has several free trade agreements with
job outsourcing countries such as the US granting businesses access to more
than 50 countries and 1.3B customers
• There are no specific regulations that exist to govern job match- Figure 121 - Not-for-profit training programs in Morocco
ing platforms in the country
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12.9.2 Remote work talent personas outsourcing were identified and analyzed to assess talent QUALIFICATIONS ABUNDANCE
Twelve different remote work talent personas suitable for qualification and abundance in Morocco.
PILLARS
ASSESSMENT
High Medium
QUALIFICATIONS ABUNDANCE
• Global consulting firms established in • Abundancy of management consultants
PILLARS
The Business Strate- the country (e.g., BCG, McKinsey, Roland working in global consulting firms with
ASSESSMENT
gist Berger) office in Morocco (e.g., BCG, McKinsey,
Roland Berger), as well as fresh graduates
Medium Very High from universities that, if properly trained,
• Medium ranking (88th out of 141 coun- • ~15.2% of total workforce with high school can fit role
The Operator
tries) on digital skills and above level of education
Low Medium
• Bilingual labor
• No Moroccan civil engineering university • ~10k engineering graduates annually
Low Medium programs on list of top programs world- • 35% of the engineers in the industries
The Design Engineer
The Finance & Ac- • No Moroccan finance & accounting uni- • ~4k accredited accountants in the country wide related to the Industrial Acceleration Plan
counting Specialist versity programs on list of top programs (PAI) trained in outsourcing, and CAD
• ~3k business graduates annually
worldwide design
< 2 years of relevant work experience < 2 years of relevant work experience
Low Medium Low Low
• No Moroccan software / computer uni- • 33 training fields in software design and • No Moroccan media university programs • <500 audiovisual, media, and tv/ film grad-
versity programs on list of top programs computer modeling on list of top programs worldwide uates annually
worldwide The Audiovisual Maker
The Functional Tech • ~3k computer and software engineering 2+ years of relevant work experience
Guru graduates annually
Low Low
2+ years of relevant work experience
• No notable media outlets with regional • ~3.3k employees working in the audiovisu-
Medium High outreach operating in the country al sector in the country
• Fifth-largest developer community in Africa • ~50k software developers in the country < 2 years of relevant work experience
with a solid local talent base
Low Low
< 2 years of relevant work experience
• No Moroccan marketing university pro- • <500 marketing graduates annually
Low Low grams on list of top programs worldwide
• No Moroccan computer science university • Limited number of university programs The Marketing Guru 2+ years of relevant work experience
programs on list of top programs world- (<10) focused on data science and AI/ma-
wide chine learning in computer science Low Low
The Specialized Tech
Guru 2+ years of relevant work experience • No notable / global players operating in • Existing marketing ecosystem with ~20
the marketing field firms (mostly SMEs with 10 to 50 employ-
Low Low ees each)
• No notable / global players operating in • Low supply of data scientists and AI and < 2 years of relevant work experience
the AI / machine learning field machine learning specialists due to the
country’s underdeveloped AI ecosystem Low Low
< 2 years of relevant work experience • No Moroccan marketing university pro- • <500 marketing graduates annually
grams on list of top programs worldwide
Low Medium
The Graphic Designer 2+ years of relevant work experience
• No Moroccan law university programs on • ~15k+ graduates in legal sciences annually
list of top programs worldwide Low Low
The Legal Specialist
2+ years of relevant work experience • No renowned hospitals with regional out- • Small pool of graphic designers in market-
reach in the country ing agencies and freelancers on job match-
Medium Medium ing platforms
• Established ecosystem with many local law • ~14k registered lawyers practicing law in
firms operating in field the country
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QUALIFICATIONS ABUNDANCE 12.10 Tunisia
PILLARS
12.10.1 Value proposition for job outsourcing were assessed to identify Jordan’s value
ASSESSMENT
The five key pillars for a successful talent pool ecosystem proposition and competitive advantages.
< 2 years of relevant work experience
Low Low
• No Moroccan medical university programs • ~3k medical doctors graduates annually, PILLARS DIMENSIONS KEY FINDINGS
on list of top programs worldwide making it difficult to rapidly train doctors
to fulfill demand • 35% of population has university degrees with current participa-
tion of 33% in higher education
The Doctor 2+ years of relevant work experience
• Tunisia ranks 103rd in quality of education, and 44th for quality
Low Low Labor qualifications of Math and Science Education
• No renowned hospitals with regional out- • ~23k doctors practicing in the country • The country’s universities offer 200 courses in ICT fields
reach in the country • One of the lowest ratios of doctors to resi- • Tunisian universities aren’t very well-renowned (not ranked
dents in North Africa (7.2 doctors per 10k among top 50 in Arab region)
residents) • Tunisians have high written and verbal proficiency in Arabic
Low High (literacy rate of ~79%)
The Educator Language proficiency • Tunisia provides a strong pool of bi-lingual labor where English
• Low ranking (120th in the world) for quali- • ~360k teachers in primary, secondary and
is taught to all school students
ty of education system tertiary education in the country
• 28% of the population is fluent in French
• Tunisia ranks 81st place globally (9th position among its Arab
peers) in the INSEAD Global Talent Competitiveness Index
(GTCI) 2021 and ranks 72nd out of 134 countries in ease of find-
12.9.3 Recommendations
ing skilled employees in the 2021 GTCI
Clusters and areas of focus were categorized into quick to market and require enabling. Labor availability and
qualifications • The country has a workforce of 4.2M with unemployment
reaching 16.1% in 2021 and ~60k graduates joining labor force
annually
Figure 122 - Morocco supply-side areas of focus categorization Labor availability • ~70% of Tunisians live in urban areas with access to decent
telecom
• Skilled labor is readily available
– High unemployment among higher education graduates
(30.1%)
– ~35% of graduates are from ICT, Engineering and Computer
Science related fields
• Tunisia’s skilled workforce is cost competitive compared to other
popular outsourcing hubs
– Average annual salary for a computer engineering graduate
Labor cost is $13k which provides cost savings of up to 50% when com-
pared to those in Bulgaria, Romania, Poland and Germany
– Ranks high in financial attractiveness of outsourcing in 2016
Global Services Location Index
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PILLARS DIMENSIONS KEY FINDINGS PILLARS DIMENSIONS KEY FINDINGS
• Tunisia’s political risk score is high and evaluated at 3.3 (where • Internet penetration in Tunisia reached ~67% (8M internet us-
scores > 3.2 are deemed high) ers) versus global penetration of 63%
Political stability
• Tunisia ranks 110th in political stability (2021 Global Talent • Tunisia’s median mobile internet speed reached ~25 Mbps (20%
Competitiveness Index) growth from 2021) and median fixed internet speed reached
7.84 Mbps (17% growth from 2021)
• Tunisia’s risk score is high and evaluated at 3.5 (where scores > Telecom infrastructure
3.2 are deemed high) • Tunisia is home to one of North Africa’s most developed tele-
readiness
com infrastructures
• Tunisia ranks 128th in 2022 Index of Economic Freedom2 and
10th among MENA countries • 4G internet coverage is widely available with plans for 5G to be
introduced in 2023
Economic stability • The country’s GDP reached ~$47B in 2021 and is growing at
3.3% annually following a 9.2% contraction in 2020 (largest drop • Strong fiber optic coverage: Tunisian telecom providers manage
among MENA countries) due to the pandemic 3+ sub-sea fiber-optic cables
• The country’s economic outlook is highly uncertain where it is • Tunisia ranks high in the GovTech Maturity Index (GTMI), and
suffering from rising inflation (8.16%), elevated fiscal deficits and 5th in Africa and 10th among MENA countries in Network Read-
financing needs given the rising public debt (~80% of GDP) iness Index rankings for 2020
Digital maturity levels • The government is investing ~$500M to introduce a 5-year
• Morocco is strategically located close to well-known regional and
Market environment Tunisia is strategically located close to well-known regional and Infrastructure digital transformation program “ Digital Tunisia 2020” to devel-
global demand hot spots: op the ICT sector and improve internet connectivity across the
country to reach an additional 3000 families
– No time difference with many European countries such as
Proximity to well- Spain and the UK • 100% of the population has access to electricity and 94% of the
known demand hot population has access to water; however, the country is currently
spots – 1–2-hour time difference with GCC, MENA and European
countries such as Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Germany and France suffering from a water crisis due to due to poor infrastructure,
Physical infrastructure scarce water resources and climate change
• Global companies, especially in Europe & MENA, can benefit readiness
from a time zone advantage given the geographical, central • Tunisia ranks 96th in quality of road infrastructure, and the
location of the country country’s public transit sector is facing several challenges in
terms of accessibility, capacity and quality of service
• Language is a key cultural differentiator for Tunisia connecting it
to GCC and European countries • Tunisia offers abundant A-class office space, available in both
the capital and urban cities, offering prime infrastructure, con-
Cultural similarity – Tunisia’s official language is Arabic. In addition, many quali- Access to working nectivity, and a vibrant business environment
with well-known de- fied labors speak English or French (or both) stations equipped for
mand hot spots remote work • Co-working spaces with proper infrastructure (internet, elec-
• Large number of expatriates residing in other Arab, European
tricity, etc.) are offered for freelancers, such as Cogite, Coworky,
and American countries, and helping to bridge the cultural gap
Work Zone, and Regus
between Tunisia and such countries
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PILLARS DIMENSIONS KEY FINDINGS PILLARS DIMENSIONS KEY FINDINGS
• Government introduced new Investment Law in 2017 offering • Tunisian government introduced A TVET reform strategy in 2012
investors several financial & non-financial incentives and has since established 150+ TVET centers to address the
– E.g., freedom of foreign equity participation and lower tax rate problem of skills mismatch and train unemployed youth
Tax exemptions and
(10%) for outsourcing companies, investment grants, freedom – As of 2016, ~70k students were enrolled in TVET training
incentives for busi-
of transfer of funds abroad, freedom of transfer of funds and programs
nesses
freedom of access to land ownership – The TVET programs receive support from international orga-
• Corporate incomes taxes decreased to 15% in 2021 from 25% in Governmental efforts nizations such as U.S. Agency for International Development
2020, relatively low compared to peers (e.g., Egypt, Lebanon) and Microsoft
• Tunisia has a 2 free-trade zones in strategic positions across the • Government also established a National Employment Fund to
country offering benefits such as subsidies and tax exemptions, provide training programs and apprenticeships for disadvan-
Special economic and a 3rd zone is currently under development taged Tunisians through the Ministry of Vocational Training help-
zones’ availability ing them find productive long-term employment - served 400k+
• The country also has 3 specialized Technoparks and 18 regional
Talent skilling, upskill- job seekers from 2011 to 2014
cyberparks hosting hundreds of ICT and BPO companies
ing and re-skilling • Many private sector companies do not offer enough formal
• Data protection laws are in place where Article 24 of the new landscape
Regulatory landscape training within their firms
Tunisian Constitution of 2014 protects individuals from the invi-
olability of their personal information and data – Tunisia ranks 89th in prevalence of training in firms (2021
GTCI)
Data and IP protec- • Tunisia is also a member of the World Intellectual Property Private sector efforts
tion laws Organization (WIPO), is a signatory to the Patent Cooperation • Tunisia has a strong support network of private online training
Treaty and has a specialized agency responsible for the regula- centers and EdTech startups providing training on professional,
tion of trademarks and patents (National Institute for Standard- technical and digital skills
ization and Intellectual Property) – E.g., Softiti, Blackbird, Invesis, and Gomycode
• Government is actively involved in enabling easy setup of out- • Tunisia is home to several non-profits that launched multiple
sourcing businesses initiatives to skill, re-skill and upskill talent across multiple areas
Not-for-profit institu- related to future of work, including digital and technology
– For example, several laws such as the New Investment Law, tions’ efforts
Regulations governing and initiatives such as the specialized Technoparks and the • Examples of non-profits include: MDG Fund, Spark, Education
job outsourcing “Digital Tunisia 2020” focus on enhancing the business cli- for Employment, Amideast, and UNHCR
mate for ITO & BPO companies
• There are no specific regulations that exist to govern job match-
ing platforms in the country
Figure 123 - Not-for-profit training programs in Tunisia
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12.10.2 Remote work talent personas outsourcing were identified and analyzed to assess talent QUALIFICATIONS ABUNDANCE
Twelve different remote work talent personas suitable for qualification and abundance in Tunisia.
PILLARS
ASSESSMENT
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QUALIFICATIONS ABUNDANCE 12.11 Upskilling benchmarks and lessons learned
PILLARS
Upskilling is gaining traction as more weight is attributed to skills, with offering emerging almost everywhere to upskill
ASSESSMENT
workforce.
< 2 years of relevant work experience
Low Low
• No Tunisian university programs on list of • <1k graphic design graduates annually UPSKILLING
top art and design programs worldwide
Objective Most countries today focus on upskilling talent – an area that is gaining traction globally, to
The Graphic Designer 2+ years of relevant work experience equip workforce with 21st century competencies and increase the workforce competitive
Low Low advantages on the local and global stage
• No notable / global players operating in • Relatively small pool of graphic designers Program design Programs are typically designed by either:
the graphic design field in marketing agencies and freelancers on • Governments and governmental entities
job matching platforms • Private sector
< 2 years of relevant work experience • Non-profit entities
Low Low • Partnerships amongst the above
• No Tunisian medical university programs • <1k medical doctor graduates annually Target audience Programs can be both country specific or have regional/global reach, with some specific
on list of top programs worldwide eligibility criteria when program target underserved target segments (e.g., women, refugees,
immigrants)
The Doctor 2+ years of relevant work experience
Impact Most programs aim to fulfill a gap in skills in the market and provide better opportunities for
High Low unemployed or under-employed candidates (mostly youth)
• Several renowned hospitals (6) ranking • 13 physicians per 10k residents Key offering compo- • Influencing policy makers and gov’ts
among top 1000 hospitals worldwide • High emigration amongst doctors (1k+ in nents • Designing trainings/bootcamps on both hard (e.g., coding, sales, etc.) and soft skills (e.g.,
2021) critical thinking, comm’s, etc.)
Low High • Providing non-formal career support (incl. career counseling and other support)
The Educator • Low ranking (103rd in the world) for quali- • 150k+ teachers across primary and sec- • Developing digital learning solutions
ty of education system ondary education Length (Applies only Program length varies, but mostly short-stints of a few weeks or months to get the partici-
to trainings) pants as quickly as possible into the job market
Delivery model (Ap- Program typically provide online classes or launch in-person classes in partnership with local
12.10.3 Recommendations
plies only to trainings) implementation players
Clusters and areas of focus were categorized into quick to market and require enabling.
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Different upskilling initiatives take place, designed by or global beneficiaries (see image below). Figure 126 - Types of upskilling initiatives
governments, private sector, or non-profits; targeting local
• Local government-led upskilling programs. Target- • Local not-for-profit upskilling programs. Focusing on 2. Only 8% of young people in low-income countries will • Context: NGO Sarthak Educational Trust designing on-
ing local workforce and designed to upskill in sectors beneficiaries in geographies globally; programs can be achieve minimum level of secondary skills line courses to upskill and rehabilitate PwDs
of interest as part of future governmental plans, visions targeting a wide range of beneficiaries (incl. Youth, PoDs,
and aspirations etc.) and offering training on a wide array of fields • Objective and geographic coverage: Global multi-sector • Problem statement:
partnership known as “Generation Unlimited” aiming to
• Local private sector- led upskilling programs. Fo- Four types of offering when it comes to upskilling initia- upskill and integrate young people (aged 10-24) in Eu- 1. PwDs in India have minimal livelihood options in public
cusing on local beneficiaries; designed to upskill either tives (see image below) were observed from case studies rope, Asia and Africa into the workforce by 2030; initial and private sectors
employees within corporations or locals to prepare them conducted by not-for-profit and/ or private sector entities, efforts focused on India, Turkey and Vietnam
for private sector roles including: (1) Influencing policy makers, (2) Designing 2. Many PwDs lack basic digital skills needed for employ-
trainings and bootcamps, (3) Providing non-formal career • Key offering components: ment
• Local not-for-profit upskilling programs. Focusing
on beneficiaries in a select geography; programs can be support, (4) Developing digital learning solutions 1. Using online learning tools in all languages to improve • Objective and geographic coverage: The India based
targeting a wide range of beneficiaries (incl. youth, PoDs, the digital skills of school students NGO skills PwDs to find jobs based on their capabilities
etc.) and offering trainings in a wide array of fields As part of this study, and in order to distill learnings on and is training 60,000 registered members to find jobs in
upskilling, four detailed case studies were conducted, 2. Providing career counseling to young people to improve public and private sector
• Global government-led upskilling programs. Target- including: employability skills
ing global beneficiaries, typically designed by developed • Key offering components:
countries targeting beneficiaries in developing countries Case study 1: 3. Supporting the formal education system to provide
young people with training in block-coding, app develop- 1. Providing online courses and resources such as online/
• Global private sector- led upskilling programs. • Context: UNICEF partnering with SAP to provide spe- ment and machine learning and AI audio books in hospitality, retail and IT sectors during
Focusing on global beneficiaries; typically designed by cialized skills training and quality education for youth in the pandemic allowing 2,500 members to find jobs
large international corporations to upskill beneficiaries disadvantaged communities 4. Establishing design and skills labs to develop 21st centu-
and prepare them for private sector roles ry skills in upper-secondary schools
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2. Developing digital literacy programs to allow for the Case study 4: UK DEPARTMENT FOR
PROGRAM GENERATION RISE 2.0 SKILLS FUTURE EDUCATION – SKILLS
digital inclusion of people with disability
ACCELERATOR
• Context: UNICEF partnering with private and public
3. Upskilling PwDs on mainstreams digital tools and sector to make digital learning opportunities available Transform educa- Enhance employ- Enable Singapor- Build stronger
systems ranging from operating phones and computers, for all young people in Europe and Central Asia tion to employment ability by building eans to learn for life, partnerships be-
and making online payments systems to prepare, high-demand busi- pursue skills mas- tween local employ-
• Problem statement: Millions of children in Europe and place, and support ness and digital tery er groups to make
4. Designing a mobile application with accessible educa- Central Asia have limited access to effective digital learn- Objective people into skills sure communities
and develop fulfill-
tional and skill development courses ing. This has been exacerbated by COVID19 where 50M life-changing ca- are getting the
ing careers, for a
children were affected by school closures reers that would training needed to
future-ready Singa-
Case study 3: otherwise be inac- meet local skills
pore
• Objective and geographic coverage: cessible gaps
• Context: Microsoft partnering with 15 nonprofits in MEA would otherwise be Rise 2.0 is a private Skills future is a Skills accelerator is
countries to upskill 1.4M of the region’s youth in com- 1. UNICEF partnered with private and public sector entities inaccessible sector program national movement a public sector
puter science to address 4 critical needs for digital education: world- designed by BCG for (under FEC1) to program designed
class digital learning solutions; connectivity; device and Rapid & Immersive provide Singapor- by UK’s department
• Objective and geographic coverage: affordable content and data Program design
Skill Enhancement eans with the oppor- for education
tunities to develop
1. Microsoft, in collaboration with non-profits, developed 2. Aim of the partnerships is to enhance provision of digital their fullest poten-
educational programs on computer science to train the skills for youth, so they participate productively in the tial
region’s underserved youth on digital skills needed in digital economy
the digital economy Employed and Singapore Citizens, Singaporeans at any Unemployed youth
• Key offering components: unemployed adults Permanent Resi- stage in their life 16–25-year-old
2. The initiative covered 360 cities in 10 MEA countries who need to learn dents and Long- (schooling years,
including South Africa, Nigeria, Egypt, Senegal, Morocco, 1. Expanding equitable access to the internet and digital new skills for a Term Pass Plus early career, mid-ca-
Tunisia and Saudi Arabia solutions especially for schools in marginalized areas better/change in holders above 21 reer or silver years)
Target audience
(e.g., Identifying device needs, specifications and stan- career path with years of age (em-
• Key offering components: dards needed for digital learning and supporting govern- online and in-per- ployed & unem-
ments with device procurement) son trainings and ployed)
1. Organizing 61,000 workshops and events across 30,000 job placement
schools, and upskilled over 13,000 instructors and teach- 2. Empowering parents and caregivers to support chil- support
ers to provide training on digital literacy and CS for the dren’s learnings through platform solutions such as a
~5,000+ graduates 65%+ job placement 540,000+ beneficia- 66% of trainees
youth parenting app
from 15+ countries in pilot phase; ries annually were placed in
per year; 3-4x in- placement assis- apprenticeships or
2. Providing basic digital literacy training at youth centers, 3. Providing digital skills development courses for teachers
Impact crease in student tance with wide full-time roles
IT clubs and schools in underprivileged communities
income after the range of companies (~40,000+ beneficia-
4. Developing a relevant and inclusive digitized curriculum
program including in BCG ries annually)
3. Supporting in obtaining financial grants to aid in digital learning
network
4. Supporting in trainings for thousands of trainers Four additional programs, offered by governments, private • Technical skills • One of three • Programs tailored • High impact
sector players and not-for-profits, were benchmarked. courses designed specialized digital to the participant’s training and short
to fill market need pathways – Busi- career stage incl. courses that are
(e.g., customer ness & Data Ana- work-study pro- bespoke and
service and sales, lytics, Digital Sales grams, tech skills responsive to em-
technology, health- & Marketing or accelerator pro- ployers’ needs to
care, skilled trades) Digital Transforma- grams, leadership address skills gaps
• Behavioral & tion development, etc. and shortages
Key offering compo- professional train- • Placement support • Placement support
nents ing (e.g., interview • Core business and (e.g., CV writing, job
prep) digital foundational interview support)
courses grounded • English, math and
in real life industry basic digital skills
experience (if needed)
• Project-based
teachings guided
by industry practi-
tioners
173 MENA TALENT MAP BOSTON CONSULTING GROUP X FORWARD MENA 174
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new,%2C%20communications%2C%20and%20person-
al%20information
187 MENA TALENT MAP BOSTON CONSULTING GROUP X FORWARD MENA 188
About the Authors
Leila Hoteit is a managing director and senior partner in Haidar Ammar is a Partner in BCG. He is part of the
the Dubai office of Boston Consulting Group. Leila is a Social Impact and Public Sector practice Middle East
specialist in human capital topics and is global lead BCG’s leadership and focuses on Education, Employment and
education, employment, and welfare sector. You may con- Welfare topics. You may contact him by email at
tact her by email at hoteit.leila@bcg.com. ammar.haidar@bcg.com.
Wissam Bechara is a Project Leader in BCG Middle East. Wassim Aouad is a Consultant in BCG Middle East. He is
He focuses mostly on developing strategies for Centers of a core member of the Public Sector practice area with
Government and Public Institutions. You may contact him experience across a variety of projects from transformation
by email at bechara.wissam@bcg.com. to strategies, You may contact him by email at
aouad.wassim@bcg.com.
Georges Ballouz is a Consultant in BCG Middle East. He Aly Mortada is a Consultant in BCG Middle East. He is a
is a generalist and works across a variety of practice areas. generalist and works across a variety of practice areas. You
You may contact him by email at may contact him by email at mortada.aly@bcg.com.
Ballouz.georges@bcg.com.
Mouhamad Rabah is one of the co-founders of Forward Elias Boustani is one of the co-founders of Forward
MENA. Mouhamad is the president of the board leading on MENA. Elias is a digital skills expert and board member
the strategic development of the organization. You may leading on all digitization projects of the organization. You
contact him by email at may contact him by email at elias@forwardmena.org.
mouhamad@beirutdigitaldistrict.com.
Wassim Daniel is the Head of Growth and Partnerships at Mariam Daher is the Executive Director at Forward
Forward MENA. You may contact him by email at MENA. Mariam leads on the implementation of all the
wassim@forwardmena.org. projects and initiatives at the organization. You may con-
tact her by email at mariam@forwardmena.org.
Boston Consulting Group partners with leaders Uciam volora ditatur? Axim voloreribus moluptati
in business and society to tackle their most autet hario qui a nust faciis reperro vitatia
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