The world as we know it is rapidly changing, and with it, the skills required to thrive in the workplace are evolving at an exponential pace. Technology and Artificial Intelligence (AI) are reshaping industries, making some roles obsolete, while making new roles rise to the top.
Some highly paid roles on the market now do not require higher-level degrees. Many companies such as Google and IBM are also adapting to these shifts, reducing their degree requirements for vacancies that they advertise. Of course, this does not rule out the importance of formal education across many job functions, especially when it comes to healthcare, life sciences and law for example. So, it is advisable for professionals to establish their career goals first and then plan for the future.
What we do know, across the board, is whether it’s fresh graduates, mid-career professionals or more senior leaders are in question, future workplaces will demand more technical and specialized know-how, as well as mastering digital tools. Concurrently, soft skills that cannot be learnt through formal education systems are core to success. From creative thinking to emotional intelligence, adaptability and putting into gear a growth mindset, are skills that can ensure you are future ready and always one-step ahead, in the highly competitive job market.
We sat with Mariam Daher (MD), Executive Director at Forward MENA, to dive a little deeper and explore how formal educational systems are being complemented with upskilling programs. Forward MENA is the education organization implementing the nammiskills project.
BDD: Can you tell us a bit about nammiskills and why it was founded?
MD: With technology advancement constantly driving changes in the workforce, the skill gap between the education outcomes and the needs of the labor market is continuously increasing.
To address the skills and talent gap in the tech and digital space in Lebanon, Forward MENA launched the nammiskills online platform, with the support of UNICEF, and under the World Bank’s Skilling-Up Lebanon initiative. The whole project is financed by the PROSPECTS program of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
nammiskills is an online career-building platform designed to help learners from diverse backgrounds, acquire essential digital, technical, and soft skills to meet the demands of today’s job market and stay ahead of the game.
Through partnerships with key tech providers such as Linkedin, AWS and Microsoft, nammiskills offers thousands of sponsored courses. Not only so but it also links the learners to key job opportunities in Lebanon and the world. This is accomplished through collaborations with key job portals, such as Linkedin, BDD career portal and Jobs for Lebanon.
BDD: We know the job market is changing. What is the market gap you are addressing?
MD: Due to fast technology advancements, no education system in the world is able to evolve at the right pace, equipping youth to be ready for the job market. New technical and digital skills are constantly arising, and candidates are expected to be equipped with these skills to be able to find a job and sustain it.
The nammiskills platform has been developed by a coalition of local and international organizations, and leading technology companies to bridge this tech and digital gap between skills, learning, and earning across the MENA region.
BDD: What are the vital skills that individuals need to thrive in the workplace today and in the future?
MD: To thrive in the workplace of today and that of tomorrow, individuals need digital, technical and soft skills. The main digital skills required at around the proficiency with digital tools and platforms as well as AI. On the technical side, coding, data analysis and cybersecurity are highly in demand. Finally, all sorts of soft skills are need but communication, creativity and team working would be the top priority.
BDD: Are there any certifications you believe are essential for young professionals to obtain?
MD: The essential certifications for young professionals vary from one major to the other. However, certifications in high-demand fields like digital marketing, DevOps, Software Development or data analysis can significantly enhance the youth career prospects.
If we look at the platform itself, the most in demand certificates are Certified Cloud Practitioner, Certified SysOps Administrator, and Certified Developer offered by AWS as well as Azure Fundamentals, Azure Administrator and Power BI Data Analyst offered by Microsoft.
BDD: From your experience, what jobs are growing in popularity and demand-wise? And how can young professionals work towards getting on that path / stand out in the crowd?
MD: All jobs related to the field of software engineering, AI, Data science, digital marketing, cybersecurity, and DevOps are emerging in the market. As businesses increasingly rely on digital tools and data-driven decision-making, these roles have become essential across industries.
To stand out in the crowd, young professionals should focus on continuous learning by earning relevant certifications, especially in areas related to their field, and developing essential soft skills to stay competitive and succeed in these high-demand careers.
BDD: We often think that formal education is the only way to secure a high-paying job. Can you comment on this, in the context of skills building and certifications?
MD: The World Economic Forum points out that a substantial portion of the workforce will need to develop new skills to adapt to changing job demands. This includes both hard skills, like technology proficiency, and soft skills, like problem-solving. Moreover, skill-based hiring is on the rise, with many industries, especially technology and digital marketing, prioritizing practical skills over traditional degrees. This approach allows companies to tap into a broader talent pool, which includes self-taught individuals and those from non-traditional educational backgrounds, thus also addressing issues of educational inequality.
The ideal scenario in the modern workforce is a blend of formal education and relevant skills. While degree-based hiring remains crucial in fields requiring deep, theoretical knowledge (like medicine or law), many other sectors are shifting towards skills and experience. This hybrid approach acknowledges the value of practical skills that may be acquired through certifications, workshops, or real-world experience, which are often aligned with specific job requirements and technological advancements.
BDD: Can you share success stories or impact figures on how you have played a pivotal role to help people secure high-paying jobs?
MD: One of the main factors we use to measure the impact we make is employment. We can easily confirm that more than 60% of our graduates manage to find a job or earn a promotion in less than 3 months of graduating. In addition to this, a key indicator is that youth are starting to appreciate the importance of upskilling. As a matter of fact, our platform has attracted more than 13,000 users in less than few months of its launch despite all the challenges Lebanon is going through.
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