The Careers in Aviation Program, funded by Boeing and implemented by Amideast in collaboration with the Ministry of Youth, embodies a participatory private sector approach to address the skills gap in Jordan's aviation sector while tackling the country's youth unemployment challenge. Launched in 2023, successive cycles to-date have benefited 180 young Jordanian men and women aged 18 to 35. The program addresses two critical challenges in Jordan: the skills mismatch for jobs required in the aviation sector and the high rate of youth unemployment. The program continues to evolve to meet the dynamic needs of the industry, equipping young Jordanians with the tools and opportunities to build successful careers in one of the country’s most promising fields and contributing to the efforts of the Ministry of Youth in advancing equitable opportunities to Jordanian youth.
By offering a blend of English language training, workplace readiness, technical skills, digital literacy, and soft skills development, coupled with hands-on experiences. Beyond classroom learning, participants gain hands-on experience through internships, field visits, and networking opportunities with industry leaders. These elements work together to ensure graduates are not only prepared for employment but also capable of thriving in a competitive and rapidly changing sector.,. Each edition builds on the lessons of the previous one. Through participatory planning and coordination, Amideast graduated cohorts for jobs in engineering, cabin crew, aircraft maintenance and airport support services. Despite declines in tourism and the aviation sector due to regional events, Amideast’s private sector partnership efforts facilitated full-time employment for participants, achieving a 75% employment rate for the second cohort and over 50% across different cohorts were linked with internship or full-time job opportunities.
The program’s impact extends beyond employment. It has strengthened strategic partnerships and youth-linkages with major industry players such as Royal Jordanian, Airport International Group, the Royal Jordanian Air Academy, and Joramco amongst others. Amideast ensured promoting gender inclusivity by increasing female participation and nationwide equity by reaching youth from across Jordan.
As we prepare for the fourth edition in 2026, the program continues to expand to include a wider range of aviation-related disciplines. and remains committed to empowering Jordanian youth and shaping the future of the aviation sector.
