Kuwait building private sector pathway for youth jobs

20/07/2026

Kuwait building private sector pathway for youth jobs

KUWAIT CITY, July 20: A recent government report revealed the most important features of the implementation plan for the "Kuwaiti Youth Employment Centers in the Private Sector" project. The report highlighted that the project is expected to be fully completed by 2028, noting that the current completion rate has reached 30 percent, with a total estimated cost of KD 2,507,894. It explained that the project reflects a development vision aimed at strengthening the role of the private sector as a key partner in employing national workers.

The employment center network currently being developed is designed to serve citizens in various governorates and includes six permanent centers fully equipped to receive visitors and provide continuous support, in addition to 34 temporary centers, including mobile and seasonal platforms, to reach young people in communities, universities, and vital locations. The project aims to achieve the following objectives annually: Provide guidance and counseling to approximately 2,000 job seekers, including recent graduates and experienced professionals seeking career changes, training opportunities, and further development.

■ Attract and guide at least 1,000 job seekers annually who wish to pursue training and development programs to enhance their skills and address gaps in their knowledge.
■ Identify and showcase at least 3,000 genuine job opportunities annually through direct coordination with private sector companies’ vacancy databases to ensure the successful entry of new job seekers into the labor market.

A government source confirmed that the state is focusing on several key aspects of the project, most notably aligning job and financial benefits between employees in the public and private sectors and ensuring the transformation of the private sector. The source indicated that the state is relying on the “Employment Centers” project, currently under implementation, as a fundamental solution to the problem of excessive reliance on government employment, particularly as the salaries and wages item in the general budget now accounts for the largest share of state revenues.

By Najeh Bilal Al-Seyassah/Arab Times Staff