President of Umm Al-Qura University Dr. Bakri bin M'atooq bin Bakri Assas launched the 2nd annual summer training program organized by the Institute of Innovation and Entrepreneurships at Wadi Makkah for more than 60 male and female students from various Saudi universities, in the presence of UQU Vice President for Academic Development and Community Service, who serves also as the acting UQU Vice President for Business and Innovation Dr. Hani bin Osman Ghazi, and the CEO of Wadi Makkah Dr. Faisal Al-Alaf. The event took place at Wadi Makkah meetings hall at the university campus in Abdyia on Thursday Sha'ban 8, 1438 H, corresponding to May 4, 2017.    

At the commencement of the meeting, Dr. Hani Ghazi said organizing such event comes in line with the kingdom's directions to achieve the Vision 2030 focusing on youth development, bridging the gap between education outputs and needs of labor market and supporting and developing innovation and entrepreneurship fields to become one of the strangest engines of economic growth. He added that proceeding from the keenness of the UQU Vice Presidency for Business and Innovation represented by the Institute of Innovation and Entrepreneurship to keep pace with the aspirations of the wise leadership towards achieving this vision, the Institute has launched this summer training program for the universities students in its second version to hone skills of male and female students in the fields of  innovation and entrepreneurship and preparing them to join these fields.  

He underscored that summer training program has made significant success in providing training for about 60 students in its first version last year, prompting startups to submit job offers for some of the program's trainees who have proven to be efficient during the training period. Such a thingو he said has encouraged the  Institute to repeat the experiment for the second time this year. He then praised support and directives of the UQU President Dr. Bakri Assas to organize this program in its second version wishing all success to male and female parties of the program.      

For his part, CEO of Wadi Makkah Dr. Al-Alaf reviewed objectives of the program which focuses on honing entrepreneurial and technological skills needed by the entrepreneurs or technology partner to build his private projects, bridging the gap between educational outputs and requirements of labor market by providing training for students on the different technological and administrative skills, besides involving students in a real  work environment to get them be familiar with the latest technologies used in the fields of programming, modeling, designing and marketing.  

"To achieve the maximum benefit, the trainee must complete all training period, and his attendance period must not be less than 90%", Dr. Al-Alaf elaborated, adding that trainee will receive SR. 2000 as a financial incentive upon fully completion of his training period. He explained that applicant must also complete filling correctly the training request and attach all required documents to guarantee his admission in the training program, wishing those interested to join the program to review all its details and to apply through Wadi Makkah website.    

After that, the UQU President and Chairman of Wadi Makkah Board of Directors launched the admission website of the training program as of Thursday May 4, 207 until May 17, 2017. 

He then said that the summer training program is organized for the entrepreneurs in Wadi Makkah for the second year to hone skills and innovative ideas which help students to design patents which can be turned into tangible products and startups through Wadi Makkah. He added that providing training for students of Saudi universities at Wadi Makkah will have benefits for them due to the real and successful experience of Wadi Makkah startups in turning innovative ideas into tangible products in line with the Kingdom vision 2030 depending on training, qualification, in the move towards  knowledge-based economy via innovation and entrepreneurship.