CASE STUDY Educating Students for Jobs, Stability, and Growth Luminus: Transforming Vocational Education in Jordan January 2018 ABOUT IFC ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, is the largest global A special note of appreciation is extended to the entire team development institution focused exclusively on leveraging at Luminus, especially Ibrahim Al Safadi (Chief Executive the power of the private sector to tackle the world’s most Officer) and Amanda Kelleher (Director, International pressing development challenges. Working with private Education), for taking the time to provide insights on the enterprises in more than 100 countries, IFC uses its capital, company’s journey thus far. Without their input, this case expertise and influence to help eliminate extreme poverty would not have been possible. and promote shared prosperity. Thanks to David Lawrence for copy editing support and Groff Creative for the design. ABOUT THE CASE STUDY Expanding access to quality and affordable education is DISCLAIMER a central element to eliminating extreme poverty and The findings, interpretations, views and conclusions promoting shared prosperity. In developing countries, private expressed herein are those of the author and do not education providers play a critical role in the delivery of necessarily reflect the views of the Executive Directors of education, skills, and training that is affordable and relevant the International Finance Corporation (IFC) or of the World to the needs of the labor markets. Bank or the governments they represent. While IFC believes IFC’s focus on inclusive business looks specifically at that the information provided is accurate, the information companies that expand access to goods, services, and is provided on a strictly “as-is” basis, without assurance or income-generating opportunities for people living at the representation of any kind. IFC may not require all or any of base of the pyramid. By combining purpose with profit, the described practices in its own investments, and in its sole inclusive businesses redefine business-as-usual. discretion may not agree to finance or assist companies or projects that adhere to those practices. Any such practices or IFC’s education and inclusive business practices jointly proposed practices would be evaluated by IFC on a case-by- develop case studies that highlight success stories in case basis with due regard for the particular circumstances education related to scale, skills, and affordability and to of the project. reaching those who are under-served. WRITTEN BY RIGHTS AND PERMISSIONS © International Finance Corporation 2018. All rights reserved. The case study was written by Piya Baptista and Kathleen Mignano with valuable inputs from IFC colleagues Ann The material in this work is copyrighted. Copying and/or Casanova, Deea Ariana, Elena Sterlin, Eriko Ishikawa, transmitting portions or all of this work without permission Mohammed Ali Khan, Rasmiya Masoud, Salah-Eddine Kandri, may be a violation of applicable law. and Toshi Masuoka. PHOTOS © Luminus Education Group Table of Contents 1 Introduction 4 Recognizing a Need 6 Enhancing Al Quds College 7 Embarking on a Transformation 8 Implementing the E4E Philosophy 13 Influencing and Adapting to Policy Change 14 Addressing the Refugee Crisis 16 Moving Forward Country: Jordan Luminus Sector: Education IFC Investment: $8.8 million Education Group Youth unemployment rates in the Middle East and North Africa region—currently 31 percent— are the highest in the world.1 For female youth in the region, the figure rises to 48 percent. Along with the need for more jobs, a major factor is the mismatch between the type of skills being taught in the classroom, which are largely theoretical, and those required by the private sector.2 In Jordan, the Luminus Education Group is addressing this issue with support from IFC. Universities in Jordan graduate thousands of students every year, adding significantly to the staggering number of EMPLOYABILITY CHALLENGES FACING young job seekers—the Department of Statistics of Jordan JORDAN’S YOUTH reports that 51 percent of youth between the ages of 15 and • Theoretical rather than practical education 24 were unemployed in 2016. Syrian refugees, who make up • Few options for specialized, job-oriented fields an estimated 10 percent of Jordan’s population,3 are also in of study need of employment. Many are youth whose education was abruptly interrupted by the conflict in their home country. • Women encouraged to enroll in traditional areas (e.g. arts and humanities) which limits Those graduates fortunate enough to complete their employment prospects degrees are often insufficiently prepared for the workplace.4 • Inadequate development of soft skills Most universities do not assist graduates in finding • Insufficient links between education employment, contributing to an unemployment rate of institutions and private sector employers 25 percent for university graduates.5 Moreover, students are largely unaware of the talent the private sector demands or the salaries they might expect, as there are few links between education institutions and private sector employers. Technical and vocational education and training (TVET) are designed to provide the skills needed for employment. But, in Jordan, TVET programs are less prestigious and suffer from a perception of low quality. As a result, most high school students scoring well enough on the national exit exam, the Tawjihi, and who have sufficient financial resources, enroll in traditional degree programs at universities. 1 Figure 1: Key Milestones in Luminus’s History $37 million raised for Refugee refugee students scholarship program Al Safadi acquires IFC equity Over 4,500 begins Al Quds College investment enrolled; More than 40,000 graduates 1999 2007 2011 2013 2014 2017 Incorporated as Luminus to Start of Al Quds consolidate engagement transformed operations with IFC into LTUC Graduate employment rate of over 80 percent Luminus Education (Luminus) aims to change the WHAT IS THE TAWJIHI? perception of TVET by providing high-quality, market- The Tawjihi exam is Jordan’s national exit exam oriented programs. It recognizes that equipping Jordanian which is taken by students during their last year of youth with vocational skills is important for both economic high school. It determines a student’s options for and security reasons. Luminus was founded by the Al Safadi post-secondary education. Students who achieve family, with the father, Issaq Al Safadi, as Chairman, and high scores in the exam may apply to degree his son, Ibrahim Al Safadi, as CEO. Its main subsidiary is programs at public or private universities. Those Luminus Technical University College (LTUC), the market- scoring above a lower cut off may pursue diplomas leading TVET provider in Jordan. at a community or vocational college. Luminus’s goal is that its programs lead to job security, social stability, and economic growth. Toward this end, Luminus has made headway on its mission to change the Luminus provides 50 accredited programs in 12 areas of negative stereotype often associated with vocational academic specialization including business, information education. Today, more than 50 percent of the students technology, creative media, engineering, health and safety, enrolling in Luminus have scored high enough on the construction, medical professions, and English language at national exit exam to apply to other universities, but three campuses in Jordan and one in Iraq. In addition to choose instead to attend Luminus due to its reputation for serving students, Luminus provides skills training for public high quality, job-relevant education. and private sector employees in the region. 2 A Luminus Story: Yassin’s Journey When 21-year old Yassin Al Khatib first arrived at LTUC he knew it would be a good place to study. The facilities were spacious and modern and the career department engaged with him early on to help him identify a career path in hotel and restaurant management. As the youngest of five children with unemployed parents, Yassin knew he had to find a job. Two years into his program and a few months prior to graduation, the career department helped Yassin prepare for interviews, including how to talk to employers and the importance of body language. It also helped him to become more aware of his strengths and weaknesses and connected him to potential employers. After a three-staged interview process, Yassin secured a job with the Four Seasons Hotel as a food server. “The training we receive here helped me learn a lot about myself, both good and bad, which helped very much when it came to getting a job and keeping it,” he said. Yassin also attributes his success in finding a job to Al Quds’s emphasis on both academics and practical skills, including critical thinking and the English language. “Working in the real world is very different from an academic way of life,” he said. “In real life, you need to be aware of your surroundings and be able to think critically, which I’ve learned here.” “Working in the real world is very different from an academic way of life.” 3 As of 2017, Luminus has graduated over 40,000 students BOX 1. LUMINUS EDUCATION who come from 23 countries and has an employment placement rate of over 80 percent. Luminus’s current As Al Safadi expanded into various enrollment stands at more than 4,500 with students lines of business, Luminus Education ranging in age from 16 to 45. Its student body mainly was incorporated in 2007 to comprises youth from low- to lower-middle income consolidate the operations of Al Quds and the households in Jordan. LTUC also educates young refugees various other education-related organizations from Syria residing in Jordan. founded by the Al Safadi family. Education- focused subsidiaries within Luminus Education RECOGNIZING A NEED offer vocational and technical education, skills development, creative media, and language Ibrahim Al Safadi had worked for his family’s wood trading solutions. Today, there are around six business in Saudi Arabia from a young age, which helped organizations under this entity which serve him to develop a good sense of the skills needed to succeed students, corporations, and the government. in the real world. Realizing he was not developing practical and marketable skills at his university in Jordan, Al Safadi dropped out of university and started his long journey to promote vocational education, which he believed could change the career prospects of youth.6 At the time, Al Safadi’s father owned a share of Al Quds, a private community college in Amman that offered two- year vocational diploma programs. Al Safadi began working in the maintenance department, eventually rotating through other departments to gain experience. He became convinced he could improve the state of education and administration at the college. By 1999, Al Safadi’s father became the sole owner of Al Quds. With the change in ownership, the younger Al Safadi was appointed Supervisor for Transformation. He started improving key functions such as administration, finance, and maintenance, but his main focus was developing programs that equipped students for the job market. Furthermore, he wanted to create a holistic educational experience for students, encompassing both personal and professional development. 4 Luminus’s Value Chain An Overview of Challenges and Solutions Procurement Distribution Marketing & Customer & Product Sales Service Development Value Chain • Mainstream • Influx of • Negative • High youth education refugees perception of unemployment theoretical and vocational rate • Limited not market education availability of relevant qualified • Poor Challenges • Insu cient teachers understanding emphasis on of potential in providing personal vocations employment- development • Refugees and focused education • No linkages to lower-income employers students have limited funds • Limited student financing • O ers market- • Operates • Raises • Supports driven branches in awareness and students vocational areas with many advocates for throughout their programs refugees enabling policies journey to employment • Localizes • O ers distance • Meets national internationally learning and • Engages directly recognized programs international with parents to curriculum education resolve • Hires industry standards workplace • Equips students professionals as concerns Luminus’s with soft skills teachers • O ers state-of the-art facilities Solutions • Nurtures • Implements students’ teacher training • Provides entrepreneurship scholarships and capabilities loans • Engages directly • Creates flexible with the private schedules for sector working students 5 ENHANCING AL QUDS COLLEGE with strong employment prospects. This was the first In the early 2000s, Al Quds began to take steps to address time that such a service had been offered in a college the negative image of vocational education held by in Jordan. students and parents alike. The college also wanted to counteract the prevailing cultural tradition of pursuing a Al Quds also began offering training programs to university, regardless of the employment prospects. To employees to gain new skills. By working with the achieve this, Al Quds would need to better align its Jordanian government, for example, Al Quds demonstrated offerings to meet the skills and fields demanded by the that it could enhance the computer skills of more than market. Toward this end, Al Quds: 3,000 government employees through internationally accredited programs in technology. Following this project, • Established demand-driven vocational programs: the government required all government employees to For example, through collaboration with players in the undertake technology training—a positive step for the creative media sector Al Quds responded to private image of vocational training. sector demand for people skilled in graphic design and photography. To find experts to deliver these programs, Seeking to further transform the image of vocational Al Quds hired top experts from the industry as full- and education and attract more students, Al Quds sold its old part-time lecturers. Such a proactive, collaborative campus and used the capital plus new loans to invest in a approach with the private sector was new to Jordan. new facility. By 2007, the college was housed in a 40,000 square meter state-of-the-art campus on the outskirts of • Offered first-of-its-kind career counseling to Amman. The new campus reinforced the perception that students: Al Quds launched a Career Advising vocational education could be high quality, which helped Department to help students select fields of education change the mindsets of both parents and students. 6 BOX 2. INVESTMENT BY IFC IFC’s engagement with Luminus around the E4E Initiative eventually led to an $8.8 million equity investment by IFC E4E: REALIZING in 2013 as well as an investment by Swicorp, a ARAB YOUTH Saudi-based private equity firm. From IFC’s POTENTIAL perspective, it saw a company that had a passionate CEO and objectives that closely aligned with IFC’s own to promote employment-focused education in the region. Luminus would be IFC’s first investment in the E4E space. From Luminus’s perspective, IFC would bring long-term capital not readily available in the market that would help strengthen the company’s balance sheet as it expanded. The investment also gave Luminus a “stamp of approval,” EMBARKING ON A enabling the company to mobilize financing from TRANSFORMATION other investors and engage with a wide variety of stakeholders. By 2011, Luminus had successfully grown Al Quds into a But satisfying IFC’s investment requirements was leading community college for vocational education. not easy for the young company. One reason for Enrollment in the college had increased tenfold over the this—common to many family-based businesses— previous decade, with international students comprising was IFC’s requirement for corporate governance. nearly 30 percent of the total. Luminus implemented several measures including developing a succession plan, documenting However, there was still room to tap opportunities in Iraq, procedures, and increasing independent board Libya and elsewhere within the region. Luminus needed a membership. It brought on additional senior-level strong financial partner with both regional and global management to help make the company more experience to scale from 3,000 students at the time to systems-driven. These and other changes enabled between 10,000 and 20,000 students—a level that would Luminus to transition from a family-based business achieve full capacity and thus make operations profitable. into an institution with a robust, transparent, and accountable structure—putting it in a good position A year earlier, IFC and the Islamic Development Bank had to attract future investors and partners. launched the Education 4 Employment Initiative (E4E) to bring public and private partners together to improve the quality and relevance of students’ skills to increase their chances of employment. In 2011, the initiative published its seminal report, Education for Employment: Realizing Arab Youth Potential, which provided a roadmap for developing an employment-driven education sector in the region, outlined investment opportunities for the private sector, and issued a “call to action” for a wide range of stakeholders. 7 The findings of the E4E report represented a breakthrough from the private sector. IFC’s biannual Global Private for Al Safadi. It reaffirmed his belief that this line of Education Conference proved to be a valuable learning education was critical in the region and intensified his opportunity for Al Safadi, as it showcased best practices focus on making Luminus as employment-focused as from private vocational institutes in Brazil, South Africa, possible. Turkey, and other countries outside of the Middle East. The relationships Al Safadi was building would be He actively engaged with IFC to apply the findings from instrumental for Luminus’s future. the E4E report. Drawing on its education specialists, investment staff, lawyers, and environmental and social IMPLEMENTING THE E4E staff, IFC provided Luminus with advice on how to enhance PHILOSOPHY its offerings and sharpen its focus on employment by focusing on the company’s core business of education. It Al Safadi used the E4E report to push the agenda forward also raised the possibility of international accreditation and and explain to his own management team why new steps proposed using clean solar energy—an effort that would had to be taken to transform Luminus. He wanted to prove to be a cost savings measure. enhance its existing focus on employability, pursue international accreditation, implement new teacher Just as importantly, IFC introduced Al Safadi to a wide training efforts, and develop innovative programs to ensure variety of potential partners, including representatives that price would not be a barrier for lower-income students. 95% of Luminus’s electricity needs are met through solar power 8 Focusing on Employability BOX 3. SUPPORTING WOMEN’S EDUCATION Aligning course offerings with the skills demanded in the AND EMPLOYMENT marketplace became even more fundamental to Luminus. To do this, Luminus built partnerships with the private Luminus has played an instrumental role in sector, set up a new unit dedicated to employment, and educating young women (44 percent of students enhanced its core curriculum across programs. are female), and facilitating their entry into a variety of industries. Female students studying BUILDING PARTNERSHIPS: Luminus pursued hospitality at Luminus have increased from five partnerships with international education percent in the company’s early days to 30 percent providers to fill gap areas and distinguish today. Half of current students studying retail are itself from other TVET providers. Luminus also female. forged relationships with global companies interested in By engaging employers in sectors like hospitality, expanding their presence in Jordan, but which needed Luminus has helped to create workplaces that are highly-skilled labor to do so. Luminus would train students more conducive to the participation of women. and help them find jobs with the local subsidiaries of these For example, it encourages employers to allow companies. At the same time, Luminus worked with local women to wear the hijab and holds “bring your private sector associations and employers, including those fathers to work” days to reassure parents about in the information technology and garment sectors, to working conditions. Luminus also counsels localize its curriculum. parents one-on-one to address concerns that could discourage them from allowing their The emphasis on partnerships continues today. Working daughters to pursue employment. with the hotel and restaurant industry, Luminus is investing in a state-of-the-art hospitality school that will simulate a five-star hotel environment and accommodate more than 750 students. In 2018, Luminus will open a new Automotive Engineering School developed in partnership with Bosch and Tesla. ENHANCING THE CORE CURRICULUM: Tapping into these partnerships, Luminus added core courses to its programs to give students a good grounding in transferable skills. Courses emphasize: • Language skills: English language training to equip students to succeed in a global workplace. • Soft skills: Key skills to succeed in life and the workplace, including effective communication, responsibility, goal-setting, and teamwork based on the Passport to Success course developed by the International Youth Foundation.7 9 • Entrepreneurship skills: The Build your Own Business entrepreneurship program from Microsoft and the International Youth Foundation to introduce young BOX 4. BLENDED LEARNING people to the basic ideas, activities, and skills needed to successfully launch, lead, and grow micro enterprises. Keeping up with the latest learning tools, Luminus has integrated • Career Readiness: This required blended learning course technology into its English language courses. emphasizes the skills and competencies desired by Students spend time in a language lab using employers. Designed to provide students a competitive software matched to their development level, advantage in advancing their careers, interactive sessions complementing traditional face-to-face sessions and an online program provided by Pearson emphasize in the classroom. personal development and employment potential. The software’s diagnostics enable teachers to pinpoint areas where students are having the ESTABLISHING THE EMPLOYMENT HUB: most trouble. Students can also access the system To systematize its approach to engaging via their mobile phones and tablets for additional employers across sectors, Luminus created practice. Luminus is now taking steps to extend its the Employment Hub in 2017. Through “blended learning” approach across all departments engagement with employers to identify job vacancies and starting with career readiness and study skills. skills requirements, the Hub ensures that all vocational programs are truly demand-driven. 10 The Hub takes the lead in student placement, hosting job fairs and other on-campus recruitment events to help students secure internships, apprenticeships or jobs. It commits to working with students for as long as it takes to find a job and stays engaged with alumni to help them access career progression opportunities. Luminus is currently implementing an integrated Management Information System (MIS) which will enable it to track the employment rate of its graduates. Achieving International Accreditation Luminus understood that local and international accreditation would improve the perception of vocational education in Jordan and enhance the employability of its graduates. Today, all Luminus programs are approved by the relevant government ministry. Where possible, Luminus also strives to meet international standards for business education and skills. Through a licensing partnership with Edexcel, a private education and examination body owned by Pearson PLC, Luminus now offers internationally accredited Business and High-Quality Teaching Technology Education Council (BTEC) diploma programs in Hiring strong teachers was a top priority for Luminus. But areas of high demand, such as retail management, office as Luminus began to grow, it faced difficulties recruiting a systems management, human resources, sales and large number of high-quality teachers with both the marketing, and construction. It also works with Edexcel to relevant industry experience and the necessary teaching adapt and translate content into Arabic, benefiting the credentials. region as a whole. To address this challenge, Luminus advertised positions Luminus established a quality department to identify and more broadly and developed a multi-stage recruitment meet standards set by international accreditation bodies process. Luminus also reached out to teachers in the and champions other quality-related initiatives across the Jordanian diaspora. Once hired, all teachers participate in institution. In 2016, for example, it implemented a self- a three-day, in-house teacher development program assessment framework for staff to improve the quality of covering areas such as lesson planning, teaching methods, program delivery. Staff take ownership for quality by and assessment methodologies. English as Second identifying areas for improvement, creating action plans, Language teachers are expected to achieve the and executing them. international CELTA certificate.8 Luminus implemented a performance appraisal system to ensure quality and retain teachers, allowing staff to demonstrate and be recognized for their competence. The company also instilled an institution-wide culture 11 emphasizing the student-faculty relationship. Administrators the logical next step in their lives, but something they must and teachers alike are accessible at all times to respond to purposefully select and invest in to secure good jobs. students’ needs. As of 2017, the prices of Luminus’s programs range from Ensuring Affordability approximately $2,250 for a six-month program up to Setting a price point required a delicate balance. In Jordan, $10,000 for a three-year program. This is on par with the common perception is that low cost equates to poor university programs in Jordan. Although these prices are quality. And despite its focus on financial discipline and about 35 percent higher than other vocational education effective cost management, to make the business work, providers, many students and their families are willing to Luminus also had to cover costs associated with its small pay because of Luminus’s reputation for quality and its high class sizes (25 students versus the 70 to 80 student class employability rate. sizes typical elsewhere), well-equipped laboratories, state-of-the-art facilities, highly-trained teachers, and But for students from low-income households, covering assistance to secure jobs with top employers. the upfront costs is not easy, especially as the student financing industry is almost non-existent in Jordan. To Luminus calculated the return on investment (ROI) that counter this, Luminus offers a flexible school schedule that students could expect within an 18 to 24 month period allows students to work full- or part-time while they following graduation and priced its programs accordingly. attend classes so they can pay tuition. At present, about 50 The concept of ROI had begun to resonate with students percent of Luminus’s students also hold jobs. Luminus also who now saw that post-secondary education was not simply facilitates various types of financial support for students: 12 Influencing and Adapting to Policy Change Setting the Stage Al Safadi’s involvement in the E4E A Change in Status and The E4E report played an Initiative helped open doors for the Launch of LTUC instrumental role in highlighting Luminus to engage the Recognizing that negative how education could be improved government on education policy perceptions can thwart the in the region, including education issues. Luminus contributed to the advancement of vocational standards, student financing, and government’s 2016 Human education, the Jordanian linkages between students and Resources Development report government recently introduced a potential employers. But for that set out the agenda for the new category of universities called change to occur, a more education sector through 2025. technical universities that offer conducive policy degrees in vocational environment was needed. disciplines. And for this to come about, E4E needed a champion. The new policy spurred Luminus to transform Al As Honorary Chair of the Quds, a community college, E4E Initiative, Her Majesty into a technical university Queen Rania Al Abdullah of called the Luminus Technical Jordan, emphasized that University College (LTUC) in governments needed to 2017. LTUC offers a wide range create an enabling of qualifications to serve environment for the students from ages 16 to 35. private sector. She called These include vocational high on the private sector to school qualifications, three- bridge gaps between year diploma programs, and schools and employers four to five-year technical while encouraging schools university degree programs. In to improve the quality of addition, LTUC offers short- education. Aligning 9 term training programs. education policies with LTUC’s program areas include employability would thereafter Additionally, the company played creative media, hospitality, become a priority for the a critical role in a ministerial engineering, and construction government. Today, the committee that assessed the state disciplines like Health, Safety and government’s goal is to encourage of TVET in the country, and Environment (HSE) and project demand-driven careers and adopted one of Luminus’s management—all market-driven increase the number of TVET recommendations to allow disciplines. Finally, LTUC will offer students from seven percent in students who do not pass the a technical diploma to students 2015 to 20 percent in 2025. 10 Tawjihi to pursue a two-year from ages of 16 to 18 who fail the technical and vocational diploma. Tawjihi exam. 13 • Affordable Education Loans: In partnership with the available to all students in Jordan. The low-cost loans will Jordanian nonprofit financial institution, Microfund for be linked to strategic sectors and industries identified in Women, Luminus offers an affordable loan product for Jordan 2025—the country’s official national vision and both male and female students. Students pay back loans strategy document. through monthly installments, but their costs are offset since Luminus pays interest on the loan for the first year. ADDRESSING THE REFUGEE CRISIS The average loan size is $5,000. With the onset of the crisis in Syria in 2011 and its escalation • Scholarships: Luminus offers scholarships at varying in 2012 and 2013, the number of refugees entering Jordan levels for approximately 45 percent of students. These increased significantly.11 Seeing a need, Luminus stepped in scholarships cover tuition (either in full or in part as one of the first institutions to help Syrian refugees depending on the criteria of sponsors), as well as needs continue their education. such as transportation and food allowance for the most vulnerable. Luminus has also partnered with donors such Mobilizing Funding as the European Union, the government of Netherlands, In 2014, Luminus began its response to the crisis by offering the government of Jordan, and the Al Aman Fund for the 50 percent scholarships to Syrian refugees. But the Future of Orphans to offer similar scholarships. company quickly discovered that paying the balance was still too difficult for young Syrians fleeing the war. Luminus • Lending Fund: Luminus is currently in the initial stages sought out and secured over $19 million in grants from the of expanding its student financing options through the Jordanian government and donor partners, including the development of a student loan fund. The company is European Union, the government of Netherlands, the United identifying donor partners that could contribute Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization, concessionary financing. Such a blended finance product and the United States Agency for International would initially be directed towards Luminus students Development. These multi-year grants have covered the with the intention of eventually making financing balance of tuition for 3,208 refugee students to date. Today, People Career Development Put students first; invest in quality teachers Engage students on employment options and create a culture of learning from their first day, through graduation, and throughout their careers The Luminus Facilities Difference Market Focused Create an environment that Collaborate with employers to facilitates learning and offer stay attuned to the skills best-in-class equipment demanded in the market 14 ShamalStart: A specialized facility dedicated to the youth of northern Jordan Syrian students at Luminus are treated no differently than through international donors such as the Agence Française any other student; they can pursue any vocational program de Développement (AFD), the European Union, the German offered by the company and have access to all available Federal Enterprise for International Cooperation (GIZ), and resources at no cost. To date, Luminus has secured over $37 the United Nations Children’s Fund. million in funding for scholarships to effectively serve refugee students through 2019. Expanding to Refugee Locations Beyond providing financial and job placement assistance, Expanding Employment Partnerships Luminus has opened a new branch in Irbid, a region in In 2016, Luminus began a first-of-its-kind partnership with northern Jordan that has a large refugee population— Jordan’s Ministry of Labor to increase the number of 30 percent of all urban refugees in the country. Here, vulnerable Jordanian youth the company can serve. The Luminus, with the European Union and other partners, is partnership was structured so that the Ministry covers the spearheading a large youth entrepreneurship effort—the cost of training through the Employment-TVET Fund, while ShamalStart Program at the Luminus Innovation Center. Luminus guarantees that students find employment at the end of the program. The Center is a specialized training and education facility for youth, with a special focus on manufacturing and A similar program is now extended to refugee students services industries. The ShamalStart program aims to whereby they are guaranteed a job at the end of their establish start-ups as well as support existing micro, small training. Luminus works closely with potential employers and medium enterprises through entrepreneurship to identify available jobs before admitting students into its training, incubation, and opportunities for collaboration programs. Since the first cohort of graduates from the with experts and investors. To further support start-ups, program in 2017, more than 560 students have secured Luminus is in the process of setting up the venture capital employment through this program. The program is funded fund Luminus Ventures. 15 MOVING FORWARD Luminus continues to grow and adapt to the changing context in Jordan and the region, while remaining committed to its goal of providing quality and job- focused education. By 2020, Luminus aims to enroll 16,000 students and increase its graduate employment rate to 90 percent.12 It has plans to build new campuses in the Jordanian cities of Zarqa and East Amman, as well as expand into Egypt, Lebanon, and Iraq. By 2022, distance learning courses will expand Luminus’s reach even further. Alongside increasing enrollment, Luminus will introduce more courses, diplomas and degrees so that it can meet the changing needs of the region’s economies and continue to effectively prepare youth for employment. ENDNOTES 1 Global Employment Trends for Youth 2017: Paths to a better working future. 8 The Certificate in English Language Teaching to Adults (CELTA) is International Labour Office – Geneva: ILO, 2017 http://www.ilo.org/ offered by the Cambridge English Language Assessment. For more wcmsp5/groups/public/---dgreports/---dcomm/---publ/documents/ information: http://www.cambridgeenglish.org/ publication/wcms_598669.pdf 9 Queen Rania Al Abdullah. Queen Rania attends the launch of Education for 2 Education for Employment: Realizing Arab Youth Potential. 2011. Interna- Employment (E4E) Initiative Report. [Press Release] https://www.queen- tional Finance Corporation and the Islamic Development Bank Group. rania.jo/en/media/press/queen-rania-attends-launch-education- https://www.ifc.org/wps/wcm/connect/1a854480482cc759a513edd1c88 employment-e4e-initiative-report 96efa/e4eReportFinal.pdf?MOD=AJPERES 10 Education for Prosperity: Delivering Results. A National Strategy for Human 3 International Labour Organization (ILO). ILO Response to Syrian Refugee Resource Development 2016 – 2025. http://www.mohe.gov.jo/en/Docu- Crisis in Jordan. http://www.ilo.org/beirut/areasofwork/syrian-refugee- ments/National%20HRD%20Strategy-en.pdf crisis/jordan/lang--en/index.htm 11 United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. UNHCR Fact 4 Jordan in Figures 2016. Department of Statistics of Jordan, 2016, 2. http:// sheet: Timeline and Figures. http://www.unhcr.org/en-us/excom/ dosweb.dos.gov.jo/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/JordanInFigures2016. hlsegment/5245a72e6/syria-fact-sheet-timeline-figures.html pdf 12 American University in Cairo. 2016. The Access to Knowledge for Develop- 5 Jordan Department of Statistics, as of Q32017. http://dosweb.dos.gov. ment Center (A2K4D) organized an Open African Innovation Research (Open jo/18-0-unemployment-rate-during-the-second-quarter-of-2017-2/ AIR) Distinguished Speaker Event at RiseUp Summit, hosting Endeavor Entrepreneur and Luminus Education CEO Ibrahim El Safadi. [Press Release.] 6 Endeavor. Ibrahim Safadi. http://endeavor.org/entrepreneur/ibrahim- http://schools.aucegypt.edu/business/a2k4d/pages/story.aspx?eid=79 safadi/ 7 International Youth Foundation. Passport to Success: An Initiative of the International Youth Foundation. http://www.iyfnet.org/sites/default/files/ library/Jordan-PTS-one-pager.pdf 16 Stay Connected WEB: www.ifc.org/education and www.ifc.org/inclusivebusiness LINKEDIN: www.linkedin.com/company/ifc-education TWITTER: #ifceducation For more information about IFC’s For more information about IFC’s focus on investments in education please contact: inclusive business please contact: Elena Sterlin Toshi Masuoka Global Manager, Health and Education Drector, Inclusive Business Email: ESterlin@ifc.org Email: TMasuoka@ifc.org Washington, D.C., USA Washington, D.C., USA www.ifc.org/education www.ifc.org/inclusivebusiness www.ifc.org/health Salah-Eddine Kandri Global Lead, Education Email: SKandri@ifc.org Washington, D.C., USA www.ifc.org/education 2121 Pennsylvania Ave. NW Washington, DC 20433 Tel. 1-202-473-1000