NBK and Ooredoo Graduate First Cohort of 'ON Academy'

- Graduates are ready to professionally and competently enter the media job market

- Yaqoub Al-Baqer:

- The projects and works we witnessed confirm that Kuwaiti youth possess promising potential

- We believe in empowering youth to transform their ideas into promising career paths

- Nasser Al-Arfaj:

- Digital media is a promising sector that opens horizons for national talents

- We have succeeded in creating media cadres and content creators who uphold media work ethics

National Bank of Kuwait, in partnership with Ooredoo Kuwait, concluded the first edition of the “ON Academy” program by graduating 30 young Kuwaiti talents in the fields of media, content creation, and creative production, following an intensive training journey that combined theoretical education with practical application under the supervision of a select group of specialists and experts in the sector.

“ON Academy” embodies a strategic partnership between “National Bank” and “Ooredoo” aimed at supporting and empowering young Kuwaiti talents by providing a specialized training environment that integrates education with practical application, contributing to the preparation of a new generation of competencies capable of keeping pace with the requirements of the growing media and content creation sector.

The closing ceremony featured the projects and works completed by participants during the program, which reflected the skills and practical experiences they acquired in various fields including digital content creation, television presenting, directing, and influencing through social media platforms, alongside several specialties related to the modern media landscape.

Throughout the program, participants benefited from a comprehensive training curriculum combining academic and practical aspects, supervised by a select group of specialists, experts, and professionals in the sector. This provided them with the opportunity for direct learning and gaining practical experience that enhances their professional readiness and enables them to explore promising opportunities in the media and entertainment fields.

The program crowned a rich training journey that allowed participants to develop their creative abilities and refine their professional skills through an interactive educational environment focused on practical application and acquiring real-world experiences, thereby enhancing their ability to keep pace with labor market requirements and capitalize on the opportunities abundant in the media and content creation sector.

On this occasion, Assistant Vice President – Public Relations and Events Management at “National Bank,” Yaqoub Al-Baqer, said: “We are proud today of the achievements made by participants in the first cohort of (ON Academy). We have witnessed the level of passion, commitment, and genuine desire among Kuwaiti youth to develop their capabilities and embark on new experiences in media and creative fields. The projects and works we witnessed during the closing ceremony confirm that they possess promising potential deserving of support, care, and further development opportunities.”

Al-Baqer added: “The goal of the program was not merely to provide technical training, but to offer a comprehensive experience that allows participants to engage in a professional training environment, learn directly from specialized professional expertise, and gain close insight into the reality of modern media production. We believe that empowering youth begins by providing them with appropriate opportunities to discover their capabilities, develop their skills, and transform their creative ideas into future projects and career paths.”

He continued: “The media and content creation sector is witnessing rapid growth and continuous developments that create new opportunities for creative youth. Therefore, we were keen to equip participants with practical skills and tools that help them keep pace with these changes and enhance their ability to compete and succeed in a work environment that increasingly relies on innovation, creativity, and effective utilization of digital technologies.”

Al-Baqir affirmed that the success of the first cohort of the Academy reflects the importance of concerted efforts by private sector institutions in supporting young national talents, noting that the collaboration with Ooredoo contributed to delivering a distinctive training experience that enabled participants to acquire practical skills and expertise, enhancing their professional readiness.

For his part, Nasser Al-Arfaj, Director of Strategic and Public Relations at Ooredoo Kuwait, said: “We are proud of our strategic partnership with a prestigious financial institution like Al-Watani, which embodies both parties’ commitment to providing high-quality opportunities for Kuwaiti youth and encouraging them to explore their creative potential and develop their career paths in the media and content creation sectors.”

Al-Arfaj added: “What the participants have achieved during this cohort underscores the importance of providing distinctive initiatives that combine practical training with professional mentoring, contributing to preparing young cadres equipped with the necessary skills and confidence to keep pace with the rapid transformations in the digital economy and creative industries.”

He emphasized that digital media has today become one of the sectors offering promising opportunities for youth to showcase their talents and build new career paths, highlighting the importance of initiatives that help them discover these opportunities and develop their capabilities to make the best use of them. He noted that the support observed from media institutions and their encouragement of the distinguished cadres trained over the previous period confirms that the media market is in great need of new media professionals entering the field. Furthermore, many Academy graduates have been adopted by several media institutions, which indicates that the Academy has succeeded in achieving its intended goals: creating practical opportunities for graduates and producing a new generation of Kuwaiti media professionals and content creators who uphold high standards of journalistic integrity and media ethics.

The “ON Academy” reflects the alignment of shared visions between Al-Watani and Ooredoo Kuwait in supporting initiatives aimed at developing national talents and opening new horizons for them. The collaboration contributed to delivering a distinctive experience that combined the diverse expertise of both parties, thereby enhancing the program’s value and its impact on developing participants’ capabilities and preparing them to leverage the opportunities offered by the media and content creation sectors.

Al-Watani continues its pioneering role in corporate social responsibility by launching and sponsoring distinctive initiatives aimed at empowering Kuwaiti youth and developing their skills in various educational and professional fields. The “ON Academy” is an extension of the bank’s ongoing efforts to support young national talents and provide opportunities that help them discover their potential, develop their capabilities, and prepare for future demands, driven by its belief that youth are the cornerstone of development and the creation of a more prosperous future for Kuwait.

Several graduates from the first cohort expressed their appreciation for the experience provided by the program, affirming that it contributed to developing their professional skills and broadening their horizons in the fields of media and content creation. Taiba Al-Najjar said: “The Academy gave me a unique opportunity to learn from a select group of experts and specialists, and it helped me acquire practical skills that strengthened my confidence in my abilities and enabled me to understand the requirements of media work more deeply.”

Osman Al-Ahmad said: “What distinguishes the ON Academy is its focus on the practical aspect, as we were given the opportunity to work on real-world projects and benefit from diverse professional experiences, which contributed to refining our skills and developing our creative capabilities.”

Dana bin Salama confirmed that the program served as a crucial starting point in her professional journey, stating, “The academy equipped us with modern tools and knowledge in content production and digital media, and enhanced our understanding of promising opportunities that we can build upon in the future to achieve our professional aspirations.”

Ali Al-Dawood said, “Our benefit from the academy extended beyond acquiring professional skills and knowledge; it also provided us with the opportunity to build a network of relationships and connect with experts and specialists in the sector. I thank ‘Al-Watani’ and ‘Ooredoo Kuwait’ for this initiative, which reflected a genuine commitment to empowering Kuwaiti youth and opening avenues for them to explore new opportunities in the fields of media and content production.”