General Motors and Arab Youth Center Collaborate To Build an Equitable Stem Pipeline Amongst the Next Generation

In conjunction with Arab Youth Center’s (AYC) Technology Fellowship Program, General Motors Africa & Middle East (GM AMEO) will be hosting a series of talks and learning sessions to support the development of an equitable STEM pipeline of talent across the region. Running from September 2022 up to February 2023, the strategic collaboration targeting AYC members, will cover panel discussions, open dialogue and mentoring led by GM leadership, employees, and partners.

In recognition of the collaboration, GM has been appointed as a key endorser of the Arab Technology Fellowship for Arab Youth, an AYC regional initiative specializing in virtual theoretical and practical training. The aim of the fellowship is to empower Arab youth in various technology-based disciplines, particularly in artificial intelligence. Over the course of the program, GM and AYC will collaborate closely to address skills gaps for the future, develop leadership capabilities and critical thinking, and encourage innovation among our youth population, while also tackling the themes of inclusion, manufacturing, future of mobility and technology.

The collaboration is set to follow a dual-phased approach, spearheaded by four weekly open dialogue sessions featuring key speakers such as Luay Al Shurafa, President and Managing Director of GM AMEO, Gary West – Managing Director of GM Future Mobility & OnStar Middle East, Sharon Nishi – Managing Director of GM Egypt, Monica Hernandez – GM AMEO Regional HR Director, senior representatives from GM Egypt and BrightDrop. Key topics to be covered will include skillsets of the future, how the future of mobility will be led by technology, diversity in the workplace and enabling youth to be exposed to leadership-thinking and understand the value of developing robust partnerships to reach operational and communal goals.

The second phase will offer a hands-on opportunity for the youth to learn from insightful leaders in the field. A three-month-long mentoring program will see select candidates selected by AYC benefit from sessions with key members of the GM MEO team. All attendees who have completed the leadership program will be awarded certificates in recognition of the invaluable learning experience.

In a statement by HE Shamma bint Suhail Faris Al Mazrui – UAE Minister of State for Youth Affairs and Vice-Chair of the Arab Youth Center, she emphasized that diverse partnerships in the technology sector are foundational for empowering young people to take advantage of the opportunities offered by these sectors.

HE Shamma Al Mazrui continued, "We build strong partnerships with international, regional and national organizations specialized in the field of technology to provide youth with distinct skills. We believe our region’s growth will be spurred by the talents and ambitions of our youth; our role is to empower them and transform their capabilities into leadership competencies, positioning them at the forefront of digital leaps critical to the region’s development.”

Talented, ambitious and motivated youth will contribute to accelerating and sustaining growth in our region, while we enable them to transform their hidden capabilities into leadership competencies that position them at the forefront of digital leaps that the region aspires to.”

Meanwhile, Luay Al Shurafa, President and Managing Director of GM AMEO, stated, “As a leader in the technology space, we want to build the workforce of the future and foster ingenuity in support of our shared visions for the future of mobility. Through empowering youth across the region, it is possible to drive exciting new perspectives around the field of mobility and inspire young minds to engage in pivotal roles around electric vehicles and the growing digitalization of the consumer experience. Working alongside AYC, we are eager to continue to cultivate new talent by offering access to thought leaders in the field, combined with hands-on learning experiences that will spark passion for the industry.”