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The Arab Youth Center has signed a memorandum of understanding with Games Ventures during its participation in the World Government Summit 2025 in Dubai, aiming to develop specialized training programs for Arab youth in the digital gaming sector. The agreement focuses on equipping young professionals with skills needed to succeed in one of the fastest-growing creative industries globally.
Engineer Fatima Al Halami, Executive Director of the Arab Youth Center, and Mohamed Al Sheikh, CEO of Games Ventures, signed the memorandum to establish practical training programs that simulate real-world working environments in the gaming industry. The initiative will enable participants to develop executable game concepts while working within multidisciplinary teams.
Comprehensive Digital Gaming Training Programs
The partnership aims to provide hands-on experience in various aspects of game development, including game design, player experience creation, product management, publishing strategies, and growth tactics. Participants will receive direct professional mentorship from industry specialists, allowing them to transform prototypes into viable projects ready for testing and further development.
According to Al Halami, training serves as the fundamental pillar for genuine growth at both individual and sectoral levels. She emphasized that the world today invests in training as a gateway to discovering talent and a platform for reshaping professional career paths.
Bridging Theory and Practice
The Arab Youth Center executive director stated that a single training course, delivered at the right time with appropriate content, can improve someone’s life and transition them from experimentation to professionalism. Additionally, she noted the program aims to move participants from initial ideas to comprehensive projects through practical application.
Al Halami explained that the memorandum reflects the center’s commitment to providing practical training that addresses industry realities and gives youth genuine understanding of how to work in vital sectors. The approach combines theoretical training, hands-on practice, experimentation, and step-by-step goal building.
Preparing Arab Youth for Gaming Industry Careers
The training programs are designed to ensure graduates possess clear tools, precise professional vision, and confidence that enables them to become active participants in the gaming industry. Moreover, the initiative seeks to cultivate future industry leaders who can compete on the global stage.
Mohamed Al Sheikh emphasized that success in creative industries depends on the ability to execute ideas within clear systems, precise standards, and work rhythms that extend beyond initial product releases. Through this partnership, the company aims to transfer global expertise to a new generation of Arab developers.
Global Standards for Regional Talent
The Games Ventures CEO stated the collaboration will introduce participants to thinking methodologies used by gaming industry teams at the international level. However, the focus extends beyond basic concepts to include practical application of industry best practices.
Participants will experience how games are built as living products, managed within team ecosystems, and evolved to meet market requirements and target audience demands. In contrast to traditional education models, this approach prioritizes professional experience that closely mirrors actual working conditions in the gaming sector.
The agreement underscores growing recognition of the gaming industry as a significant economic sector requiring skilled professionals. Meanwhile, it reflects broader efforts in the region to diversify economies and create opportunities in creative and technology-driven fields for young Arabs.
The partnership between the Arab Youth Center and Games Ventures is expected to launch its first training cohorts in the coming months, though specific timelines and enrollment details have not yet been announced. Further information regarding program structure and participant selection criteria will likely be released as implementation plans are finalized.
