Job Creation

The promote pillar aims to support entrepreneurship, empower SMEs, and create job opportunities by upskilling local talent and mobilising the global LIFE network.Our activities are concentrated in the following 3 areas:

  1. Empowering vulnerable businesses and promising SMEs to scale up and compete in a global economy;
  2. Creating outsourcing job opportunities in Lebanon by upskilling local talent and mobilising the global LIFE network;
  3. Supporting Lebanese entrepreneurs by organising global pitch nights.

current initiatives

past initiatives

Zaka

ZAKA offers a 16-week AI Certification Program to prepare participants for the job market in Machine Learning, Data Science, Data Engineering and Data Analytics. LIFE has supported ZAKA with a grant of $20K in 2023 to support 40 students in Machine learning and Data Analytics.


Figures as of Q3 2023:

  • 160 alumni - 58% Lebanese, 42% from the MENA
  • 34% women 
  • 70% employment success rate 
  • Average salary for junior positions $1,300

Breakdown of alumni:

  • 50% working for Lebanese companies
  • 40% working in Lebanon for overseas companies - Breakdown of countries: Australia, Canada, France, KSA, UAE and USA.
  • 10% emigrated - Breakdown of countries: Australia, Canada, Cyprus, France, Germany, Saudi Arabia, Sweden, Turkey, UAE and USA

Typical positions: Junior Machine Learning Engineer, Data Scientist, Data Analyst, Technical AI Sales, AI Researcher, AI Instructor.


Typical employers: FinTech, HealthTech, Software Consultation, Financial institutions, LegalTech, Design, Insurance, E-commerce/ Marketplace, SaaS, Business Intelligence and Data Analytics, Entertainment.


For any enquiries please contact partners@zaka.ai

Codi

Codi, combines a coding bootcamp and leadership course for underprivileged youth in Lebanon (The Core programme is live in Beirut and Tripoli, Zahle pilot has been completed in 2022). LIFE has supported Codi with grants of $25k in 2019, $30k in 2020, $30k in 2021, $50k in 2022 and $50k in 2023.
 

Figures as of Q4 2023:

  • 347 alumns - 31% women
  • 85% employment success rate
  •  $1,194 average salary in USD

Breakdown of alumni:

  • 93% stayed in Lebanon
  • 7% emigrated

Those who are working in Lebanon are working for:

  • 68% Lebanese companies
  • 32% working for companies abroad

Sectors:

  • 97% tech
  • 3% other

Typical positions: Full-Stack Web Developers (junior, mid and senior), Software Developers / Engineers, Specialised Developers (React Native Developers, Front-end Developers and Back-end Developers), Quality Assurance Engineer, Web Development Trainers, Graphic Designer for Web Apps, IOS Developer, Business Analyst and Project Coordinator.

 

Codi’s alums are employed (physically and remotely) across: Australia, Canada, Congo, Cyprus, France, Greece, Kuwait, Lebanon, Nigeria, Philippines, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, UAE, UK and USA.
 

For any enquiries please contact hortense@codi.tech

 

 

"Codi has been working closely with LIFE for a number of years to further our original mission: use coding and digital skills to enable inclusion and employment, and as a catalyst for social innovation and diversity in Lebanon.

While originally acting as close advisors, ecosystem advocates and recruitment outreach partners, LIFE transitioned into becoming a strategic scaling partner of Codi during our scale-out through yearly funding commitments on the long term, as well as taking a seat on Codi’s Advisory Board. 

Through our collaboration with LIFE, we are not only able to have a wider global outreach, but also be able to benefit from valuable and strategic introductions, connections and resources that LIFE is able to share. 

We send our deep gratitude to the LIFE team and look forward to continuing to solidify our relationship, especially in light of the hardship Lebanese youth is likely to continue to face for a while.

Together with LIFE we are able to continue to be in the business of changing lives; leveraging technology and programming for a better future." 

B.O.T

B.O.T (Bridge. Outsource. Transform) is an impact sourcing platform that provides high quality digital services executed by skilled freelancers from marginalised communities in Lebanon. LIFE has supported BOT with a grant of $20k in 2020 and $30k in 2021, in partnership with Alfanar venture philanthropy.

 

Figures as of Q4 2021:

 

  • 85 unique clients
  • 25 recurring clients
  • 172 unique projects
  • 3,284 registered freelancers
  • 533 freelancers have earned a revenue
  • $605,296 revenue earned by freelancers

Sectors Served and Services Offered:

 

  • IT companies: Data Processing (Mining, Cleansing, Scraping, Collection and Entry) and AI Data Training.
  • E-commerce: Web scraping, Image Processing (Cropping, Watermarking, Tagging, Annotation), Product Description Development (short and long descriptions), Warehouse Inventories (enumerators) and all kinds of E-commerce product data support.
  • NGOs and INGOs: Surveys (field and phone surveys), Survey Digitisation, Data Collection (remote and on the ground), Transcribing and Translation Services.
  • Retail: Inventory Management, Scanning and Archiving, Data Entry, Call Center Agents Support and other services.
  • All sectors: Data Entry, Data Cleansing, Data Categorisation, Call Center Agents, Scanning and Archiving and other services that can be created on a hybrid basis.

For any enquiries please contact mbitarkaram@dotrust.org

 

Holberton

Holberton, a software engineering academy from Silicon Valley, is now operating in Lebanon.

 

The curriculum is seeking to bridge the gap between academia and industry by offering online specialisation programming tracks with the latest and up-to-date technology in:

 

  • Blockchain and Cryptocurrency (2 modules/6 months track)
  • Machine Learning, Artificial Intelligence (2 modules/6 months track) 
  • AR/VR (3 modules/9 months track)
  • Web Back-end specialisation (1 module/3 months track)
  • Web Front-end specialisation (1 module/3 months track)

The content of these online tracks run in parallel worldwide, meaning students will be taking the same courses offered by Holberton in their 30 campuses around the world.

 

LIFE has supported Holberton with scholarships of $58k in 2020 and $88.7k in 2021, covering the tuition of 43 students.

 

Since inception:
 

  • 73 students enrolled in Holberton programmes
  • 30% of students are female
  • 90% employment success rate
  • $1,500 average starting salary in Lebanon and $1,800 starting salary for remote jobs
  • MoUs signed with several local and international recruitment agencies with a network of over 150 companies providing priority for Holberton students
  • 100% graduates from Holberton globally have landed software engineering employment across all industries and at top tech companies such as Google, Apple, Facebook, LinkedIn, IBM, Tesla etc.

Typical positions: Full Stack Developers, Web Back-End Developers, Mobile Developers (iOS and Android), Java EE Back- End Developers, React and Angular Front-End Developers, QA Engineers, DevOps Engineers, Firmware Developers and Data Scientists.
 

New companies employing our students: Deloitte, BMW (Computer Vision Department), Santander Bank
 

Typical employers: FinTech, EdTech, HealthTech, F&B / Food Delivery, Software Consultation, Design, Solution Development and Implementation, Marketing, Supply Chain and Warehousing, Insurance, E-commerce / Marketplace, SaaS, Business Intelligence and Data Analytics, Gaming, eSport, Entertainment, Construction and Real Estate Tech.

 

Country of employment (physically and remotely) of global students: Colombia, Ecuador, Egypt, France, Jordan, Mexico, Peru, Puerto Rico, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Tunisia, UAE, Uruguay and USA.

 

For any enquiries please contact joelle.chebli@holbertonschool.com

Global Reach