Zain Summer Program returns for sixth season
In partnership with Kuwait News, Kuwait Times, INJAZ Kuwait, V-Thru
KUWAIT: Zain announced the kick-off of the sixth season of its Youth Summer Program, one of the company's flagship initiatives under its community strategy to empower the next generation of national talent in the private sector and prepare a creative workforce capable of succeeding and excelling in today's dynamic job market.
This year's edition comes in partnership with the Kuwait News media organization, Kuwait Times English daily, INJAZ Kuwait, and for the first time, V-Thru, Kuwait's leading virtual drive-thru platform, offering participants new hands-on training experiences in digital marketing, smart operations, and the logistics sector.
The program will host 35 university students from various majors in a one-month journey that combines fieldwork, hands-on training, and workshops focused on personal and professional skills, all within an interactive environment designed to reflect the needs of the fast-evolving digital job market.
Commenting on the launch, Hamad Al-Musaibeeh, Corporate Relations Department Manager at Zain Kuwait, said: 'We're proud to launch a new season of our summer program, which has become a highly anticipated annual milestone for ambitious youth. It's not just a training opportunity, but a holistic platform for developing professional and leadership skills and guiding participants toward careers aligned with their talents and ambitions. Our growing partnerships with leading local organizations reflect our commitment to expanding the program's scope and impact year after year.'
Scan the code to sign up.
He added: 'This year, the program offers four core training tracks. The first is the field track at Zain's retail branches across Kuwait, where participants will be trained in customer service, marketing, sales, and teamwork. The second is the media track in collaboration with Kuwait News and Kuwait Times, where participants will explore content creation, editing, journalism, and photography and videography.'
Al-Musaibeeh continued: 'In addition, we have the career skills track in partnership with INJAZ Kuwait, which includes intensive workshops on leadership, communication, career planning, and job market readiness. Finally, the new technical and operations track in collaboration with V-Thru offers students practical experience in a startup environment, with exposure to digital marketing and logistics operations.'
Jana Khaldoun Alnaqeeb, Director of PR and CSR at Kuwait News and Kuwait Times, commented: 'Our continued collaboration with Zain in this program for the second year running stems from our belief in the importance of involving youth in shaping media messages and providing them with the tools to understand the media's impact. This season, we'll focus on nurturing creativity and initiative among students through editorial and field experiences that reflect their authentic voices.'
Jaber Ashkanani, Director of Business Development and Strategic Partnerships at INJAZ Kuwait, stated: 'We are pleased to continue this strategic partnership with Zain, which spans over 20 years of collaboration aimed at preparing a well-informed generation capable of facing future challenges and the job market.'
He added: 'This year, we are especially delighted to collaborate on delivering the 'My Career Path' program for enrolled youth, which focuses on developing leadership skills, creative problem-solving, as well as verbal and written communication skills, among other competencies that help young people become qualified, professional contributors to the workforce.'
'At V-Thru, we believe it's our responsibility to pass on the knowledge, experience, and values we've gained through building one of Kuwait's fastest-growing tech startups,' said Abdullah Al-Shalabi, Co-Founder and CEO of V-Thru. 'This initiative reflects our commitment to investing in local youth and preparing them to thrive in a digital-first economy.'
'In turn, we gain valuable insights from this generation, their perspectives help us understand the evolving needs of tomorrow's market. The program also serves as a strong recruitment channel: several of our top-performing employees started as interns.'
He added: 'This partnership with Zain allows us to scale our impact by reaching even more students and fresh graduates, giving them hands-on exposure to real-world challenges in technology, operations, marketing, and customer experience. Together, we're not just creating internship opportunities, we're building a pipeline of future leaders for Kuwait's innovation ecosystem.'
Zain's Summer Program is held under the umbrella of its youth empowerment platform Future University Network (FUN), one of the company's longest-running sustainable initiatives launched in 2008. Hundreds of students have benefited from the program over the years, many of whom later joined Zain's workforce after graduation as full-time employees.
In the program's last edition, participants completed over 90 training hours across various fields. The program achieved remarkable success, reflected in the valuable feedback shared by students and Zain's partners, further underscoring the importance of continuing and expanding this initiative to meet the evolving aspirations of future generations.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Kuwait Times
14 hours ago
- Kuwait Times
Style or security? How culture shapes gold buying habits in Kuwait
Every community has its go-to gold, affected by tradition, resale value, aesthetics KUWAIT: As Eid approaches, it's easy to notice how different gold markets draw in people with different nationalities. According to local jewelers, one key factor drives these preferences: karat - the measure of gold's purity mixed with other metals. The availability of certain karats across shops not only impacts price, but also influences the jewelry's color, strength and the styles favored by each community. 'Each country tends to have its own distinct preference for gold karat,' said Ahmad Gad, a jeweler at Al-Mubarakiya Gold Souq, one of the most popular markets among diverse nationalities in Kuwait. He broke down the three most common karats in Kuwait and who typically prefers each: 'Indians usually go for the rich yellow of 22K gold. Arabs lean toward 21K for its shine. As for 18K, which has a softer glow, it's often chosen by people who like European styles — Filipinos, for example.' Ahmad Gad, a jeweler in Kuwait. A vendor shows a gold necklace to a customer at the gold exhibition. The Indian favorite Indian buyers are especially drawn to 22K gold, valuing both its high purity and cultural significance. 'For Indians, what matters most is purity. If it were practical, they'd choose 24K - but it's too soft for jewelry,' said Ayoub, an Indian gold salesman who has worked in Kuwait for seven years. Pure 24-karat gold, considered 100 percent gold, is typically reserved for bars and coins, as its softness makes it unsuitable for wearable, intricately designed jewelry. To increase durability, gold is alloyed with other metals, resulting in lower karats: 22K gold contains 91.7 percent pure gold, and is ideal for the ornate, heavily detailed pieces typical in Indian culture. 'Our classic Indian pieces can only be made with 22K,' said Naresh Kumar, a jeweler at Souq Al Wataniya in Kuwait City, which mainly serves Indian and Bengali customers. 'It's also the standard karat in India, so it's easier to resell there.' Gad added, 'Every community prefers gold that can be resold easily in their home country.' Smart investment Despite its cultural significance, 22K gold is less commonly stocked in Kuwait compared to 21K. You'll find 21K gold widely available in popular markets like Al-Mubarakiya, Hawally, Salmiya and Farwaniya. According to jewelers, 21K is the most sought-after karat among Arabs. With 87.5% purity, it offers a sweet spot between visual beauty and long-term value. '21K is ideal for those who want a beautiful ornament that also holds its value,' said Gad. 'It has a higher resale price compared to lower karats, especially if it's locally made Kuwaiti gold, free of decorative cloves.' Kuwait is known for its high-quality 21K gold, thanks in part to strong trade ties with the UAE, home to some of the Gulf's most skilled goldsmiths. This partnership enables Kuwait to import a wide variety of 21K designs in large quantities. Elegant, but less valuable By contrast, 18K gold is found in smaller quantities across Kuwait, mostly in the Salmiya Gold Souq, which caters largely to Filipino buyers. While 18K contains 75 percent pure gold and is often used for dainty, European-style pieces, jewelers say it carries the highest making charges and offers weaker resale value, making it less appealing to investment-focused shoppers. 'The lower the gold's karat, the harder it is to mold,' explained Kumar. 'Working with low karats like 18K takes more time and precision, which increases labor costs.' That added labor is reflected in the making charge — a markup applied to the price of gold per gram for craftsmanship, which doesn't contribute to the resale value. Still, 18K remains the go-to for many Filipino shoppers and others who prioritize aesthetics over return value. 'I prefer 18K because it's simpler and more elegant,' said Rachel, a Filipino customer. 'The higher-karat designs are too loud - too madame. Unlike 18K pieces which I can easily stack and wear daily without feeling it's too much. For many, gold is more than a fashion statement - it's financial security. 'Gold is the most affordable investment for me right now. Instead of wasting money, I buy gold. It's like my money is still there, just preserved in a different form,' said Nada Dawod, an Egyptian gold enthusiast. 'When I was younger, I loved 18K gold,' she said. 'But once I started buying gold with my own money, I switched to 21K. It has better resale value and comes with a lower making charge. Even if I like a design in 18K, I try to find a similar one in 21K.'
Arab Times
a day ago
- Arab Times
Citizen blasts opaque debt campaign, files court case
KUWAIT CITY, June 4: The Court of First Instance received a new case filed by a Kuwaiti citizen who has demanded full disclosure of the distribution and beneficiaries of donations totaling millions of dinars collected by the national campaign for refunding debtors' loans. Lawyer Reem Al-Baghdadi, representing the aggrieved citizen, requested detailed information on debt repayment records, the disbursement process, and the list of beneficiaries. She explained that her client was extremely surprised to be excluded from the current debtors' campaign beneficiary list, despite not having applied for any previous campaigns. An investigation revealed that the committee overseeing one of the previous campaigns had paid the government a fee of KD 10 owed by the citizen, based on a request from the Ministry of Justice. Her client was unaware of this payment and that his name had been included in the previous campaign's beneficiary list without his knowledge. Despite being able to pay the KD 10 fee himself, he applied to register in the latest campaign due to a large debt he could not afford to repay. Lawyer Al-Baghdadi emphasized that the purpose of this lawsuit is to clarify the mechanisms of the debtors' campaigns, ensuring transparency and fairness so that aid reaches those truly entitled to it based on clear and just criteria.
Kuwait Times
2 days ago
- Kuwait Times
Al-Tijaria, CSCEC sign strategic MOU with to collaborate on govt-tendered projects
Eng Abdulmutaleb Marafie, CEO of Al Tijaria Real Estate Company and Ji Tao, General Manager of CSCEC in Kuwait. KUWAIT: The Commercial Real Estate Company (Al-Tijaria), one of Kuwait's leading real estate companies, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with China State Construction Engineering Corporation Ltd (CSCEC), a global construction giant based in China, to jointly explore and collaborate on a range of strategically selected development projects tendered by governmental authorities in Kuwait. This agreement establishes the framework for collaborative efforts in conducting technical and financial feasibility studies during the bidding phase with CSCEC, who will perform these services in the capacity of the prospective construction contractor, subject to the viability of the project and the successful award of the contract. The partnership also outlines a framework for CSCEC to potentially invest in the projects alongside Al-Tijaria—subject to regulatory and authority approvals. CSCEC, in its capacity as the contractor, may also extend its support by introducing potential lenders to facilitate project financing arrangements on competitive terms. CEO of Al-Tijaria, Eng. Abdulmutaleb Marafie, commented: 'This MOU marks a significant step in our strategy to engage in public-private development opportunities in Kuwait. Partnering with CSCEC enables us to strengthen our technical and financial preparation during the bidding process and the execution upon award. Their global expertise and strong regional presence support our vision to develop large-scale real estate projects aligned with Kuwait Vision 2040. We are proud to work alongside one of the world's largest and most capable engineering and contracting firms.' Ji Tao, General Manager of CSCEC in Kuwait, stated: 'We are honored to collaborate with Al-Tijaria, a pioneer in Kuwait's real estate sector. Our goal is to share our global experience and technical capabilities to support the success of development projects in Kuwait and contribute to the goals of Kuwait Vision 2035. Al-Tijaria's strong market presence and proven track record make it a highly capable partner for such ongoing development initiatives' Al-Tijaria and CSCEC will continue to collaborate in good faith throughout the preparatory and bidding phases followed by implementation, in the best interest of shareholders and in alignment with applicable regulatory requirements.
