Ahmed Kamel – Egypt Daily News
Egypt has taken a major step toward strengthening its digital workforce by signing memoranda of understanding with 30 local and international Information and Communication Technology companies to support the implementation of the presidential Digilians initiative, a nationwide program aimed at preparing young Egyptians for the digital economy.
The agreements were signed by the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology in cooperation with the Egyptian Military Academy, with the signing ceremony attended by Minister of Communications and Information Technology Amr Talaat and Director of the Egyptian Military Academy Ashraf Salem Zaher. The move reflects the government’s broader strategy to build advanced digital capabilities among youth and position Egypt as a competitive hub for technology and innovation.
Digilians is a fully funded scholarship initiative targeting young people across all Egyptian governorates. It is designed to deliver advanced, industry-aligned ICT training through partnerships with global technology firms, educational institutions, and international universities. The program offers several academic pathways, including a four-month intensive diploma, a nine-month specialized diploma, a 12-month professional master’s degree, and a 24-month Master of Science program.
The initiative covers a wide range of high-demand digital disciplines, including software development, artificial intelligence, data science, networks and technological infrastructure, cybersecurity, embedded and electronic systems, and digital arts. In addition to technical training, the program emphasizes soft skills development, language proficiency, and practical workplace experience.
The MoUs were signed by Vice Minister for Infrastructure and Digital Transformation Raafat Hindy and representatives of the participating companies. The list of partners includes major global and regional technology players such as EMC Egypt (Dell), Fortinet, Google, Huawei Egypt, IBM Egypt, Microsoft, Palo Alto Networks, Vodafone Egypt, Brightskies, and Cloudflare, among others.
Under the agreements, partner companies will contribute training content, certification exam vouchers, project supervision, technical mentorship, and hands-on field training. They will also participate in job fairs, conduct awareness sessions and workshops, mentor hackathons, and help connect program graduates with employment opportunities across their business networks.
During the ceremony, Minister Talaat conveyed a message from President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi emphasizing that the Digilians initiative aims to create a new generation of highly skilled ICT professionals capable of driving innovation and enhancing Egypt’s position in the global technology landscape. Talaat said the program is designed not only to impart advanced technical knowledge but also to prepare participants to compete in an increasingly globalized labor market shaped by rapid digital transformation.
Ashraf Salem Zaher affirmed the Egyptian Military Academy’s commitment to providing the infrastructure, training environment, and institutional support needed to implement the Digilians initiative and similar national programs, in line with presidential directives to invest in human capital.
Officials said the collaboration with industry partners is expected to accelerate Egypt’s digital transformation under the Digital Egypt strategy, while fostering innovation, entrepreneurship, and sustainable employment opportunities for youth. By integrating rigorous academic training with real-world industry exposure, the Digilians initiative seeks to develop a resilient and future-ready digital workforce capable of meeting the growing demands of Egypt’s ICT sector and the wider knowledge-based economy.
