Tech-driven hope: Opportunity clicks for Mosul youth

Shafaq News

19-05-2025

Shafaq News/ The war-scarred Mosul, where destruction once muted every sound, a 25-year-old Laith Ahmed, a computer science graduate, is determined to rebuild both his life and his city beyond the shadows of conflict.
Opportunity at a Click
His turning point came not in a government office but in front of a modest screen. While scrolling through job portals, Laith came across an announcement for a vocational training course supported by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), in cooperation with the UK-based NGO Human Appeal and funded by Germany's KfW Development Bank.
For many, it might have seemed like just another ad, but for Laith, it was a signal—an opening.
The program was designed to equip young Iraqis with marketable skills and facilitate access to employment—a pressing need in a country where youth unemployment is both chronic and destabilizing. Without a second thought, Laith applied.
With a computer science degree from the University of Mosul, he had qualifications—but in a city emerging from devastation, opportunities remained scarce. This training, he hoped, would offer a foothold.
Tested by Ice and Steel
After weeks of uncertainty, Laith was accepted. His placement: a company specializing in the installation and maintenance of surveillance camera systems—a technical field adjacent to his academic training, but far more physically demanding.
Winter in Mosul was unforgiving. Rain poured, temperatures dropped, and Laith spent his days maneuvering ladders and cables in the cold. Still, he welcomed the challenge, asking questions, taking notes, and absorbing every detail.
'It wasn't easy,' he recounted in a UNDP report. 'But I had to prove I could handle it. I wanted to be ready for whatever opportunity came next.'
Earning a Place
That readiness soon bore fruit. Midway through the training, Laith encountered a complex technical malfunction that risked halting operations and causing financial loss. He tackled it on his own—and resolved it.
That moment changed everything.
By the end of his 40-day training, the company offered him a full-time role. No speeches. No spotlight. Just a quiet affirmation of his value. 'You've earned your place here,' the director told him.
Beyond Stability
Now a full-time technician, Laith's goals stretch beyond his current role. He dreams of launching a surveillance tech workshop—creating jobs for other young Moslawis and mentoring the next wave of technicians.
'I want to build something that lasts—not just for me, but for others,' he explained. He's also planning to resume his studies and stay up to date with evolving technologies.
His ambition is grounded, not grandiose. 'My biggest goal right now is stability.'