The success of the Egypt FWD International Freelancer Contest
ITIDA, Udacity, and Freelancer.com have joined forces to launch the first International Freelancing Contest (IFC 1.0)
Exclusively to the Egypt FWD community. An effort to maximize the exposure of the initiative’s graduates to employers’ global community and provides employers with sponsored opportunities to benefit the most from Egyptian youth’s talent and professional skills in hot tech domains.
First of all, what is Egypt FWD?
Purpose: Under the umbrella of Digital Egypt Strategy, the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT) launches the Future work is a digital initiative powered by Information Technology Industry Development Agency (ITIDA) to equip and train 100 000 young Egyptians through ITIDA and Udacity an online learning platform for digital technologies and skills to remote work and local market opportunities.
Program: fwd is an 18-month scholarship program, providing the learners with an integrated learning and upskilling experience which includes access to Udacity online learning classroom, hands-on-practice expert-reviewed projects, online support webinars, professional industry mentors, interactive peer-to-peer community, and continuous coaching.
Partners:
- Umbrella: Egypt Digital Strategy– Ministry of Communications and Information Technology www.mcit.gov.eg
- Owner: ITIDA: Information Technology Industry Development Agency www.itida.gov.eg.
- Partner: Udacity: www.udacity.com
ITIDA’s initiative success hasn’t stopped at this point
but exceeds that, it provided their graduates with exclusive offers in contribution with Udacity and Freelancer platforms encourage them to win Gigs are provided by different international employers and business institutions to take the advantage of their gained professional skills and allow them to compete with other graduates from this program in the exclusive gigs are offered only for Egypt FWD community.
The efforts continue far from this point by allowing over 2000 skillful graduates to participate in the (IFC 1.0) initiative which provides job opportunities for Nanodegree graduates including jobs offered by various international institutions around the world allow working with enterprise clients like IBM, Airbus, and AL-Futtaim, and other international clients offering valuable prizes for best entry or entries in contests.
Offering more than 100 contests, each representing a freelancing gig challenge that is offered by an international employer and time-bound. Freelancers submit their work to compete over many winning awards at the end of each contest.
The winning contestants will be financially awarded by the international employers through Freelancer.com. All contestants with valid submissions will receive a recognition badge from Freelancer.com, ITIDA, and Udacity.
Since June 2021:
- Over 2000 FWD graduates registered to take part in the initiative.
- The IFC Initiative has provided opportunities to work for Enterprise clients including IBM, Airbus, and Al Futtaim.
- IBM ran contests with over 50 prizes awarded.
- Al Futtaim ran contests with over 120 prizes awarded.
- 57 project opportunities.
- 1 Talented developer bagged a $3000 Project with IBM.
- 3 freelancers won projects helping combat online hate, analyzing tweets from social bots spreading disinformation on Twitter.
My Journey With Egypt FWD and Freelancing
I have successfully finished all data tracks (Challenger, Professional, Advanced, and Expert). And have been invited to IFC 1.0 Group at freelancer.com in June 2021.
And a couple of days ago, I just finished my 9th freelancing gig, from whole new skills gained throughout an amazing journey.
If you have told me a year ago, that I will be able to earn just a dollar from new skills I just learned, definitely, I would have called you crazy, BUT IT HAPPENED!
My whole life has changed, I am grateful to FWD, Udacity, and Freelancer for making this happen. A lot has been achieved, and still a lot to achieve.
“You did not come this far, to only come this far.”
So, what are you waiting for? START NOW!
