Estarta Solutions and Ministry of Information and Communications Technology (MoICT) in cooperation with the Ministry of Labor and Int@j, signed a Graduate Internship Program (GIP) agreement last week in Amman. The GIP is an 18-month employment program whereby Estarta will provide a number of interns with on job training in their respective fields of specialization, and help them acquire experience, knowledge, and skills, as well as prepare them to enter the labor market with professional experience.
By virtue an 18 month contract, which will commit both interns and Estarta to its conditions, the MoICT will cover 50% of each intern’s salary during the first 12 months of employment and 25% during the following six months.
Commenting on the GIP, HE Eng. Basem Rousan, Minister of Information & Communications Technology said: “The Graduate Internship Program aims at bridging the gap between fresh ICT graduates and the hands-on and practical experience required by the job market. This program will help achieve one of the national ICT strategy's objectives which is increasing direct employment in the sector to 35,000 jobs by 2011”.
 “We are proud to be part of this national program, where the private and public sectors get together to increase the capacity of skilled resources in the industry, while at the same time contributing to Estarta’s expansion strategy in the region. This initiative is a step forward in bolstering the foundation of the development process in Jordan”, Said Mr. Majdi Al Bait Shawish, Estarta CEO.
“It is Int@j and MoICT commitment in Jordan to improve the ICT labor market, facilitating the GIP initiative came to train highly skilled work force in the Industry, as well as building partnership between private and public sector, Int@j is proud of playing such role facilitating a huge employment move which benefits our graduates and enhances the capacity of our ICT companies in all levels”. Added Mr. Abdelmajeed Shamlawi, Int@j CEO.

About Estarta Solutions
 
Estarta Solutions is an international IT solutions company based in Amman, Jordan, with offices in Boston, Doha, Dubai, Jeddah and Riyadh. Estarta Solutions has emerged as a regional leader in creating and delivering IT solutions, with a focus on Public Sector, Telecommunications and Financial Services enterprises. Powered by fourteen years of international experience, Estarta's client base extends across the Middle East as well as Europe and the US. Estarta Solutions is partially owned by Cisco Systems and Microsoft Corporation.

About MoICT
MoICT was established in 2002. The Ministry of Information and Communications Technology (MoICT), is the heart of the Kingdom’s transformation into a knowledge based economy that contributes to the socio-economic development of the Kingdom. MoICT is the policy maker of information technology, telecommunications, and post in Jordan. The Ministry’s policy calls for market linearization, Ending monopoly and withdrawal of the government from its majority ownership position in telecom & postal operator & public private partnerships.
About Int@j
int@j, The Information Technology Association of Jordan is an Information and Communications Technology (ICT) industry-support association founded in 2000 with the aim of improving the dynamics of Jordan's ICT market and developing the Kingdom's ICT related activities. int@j members range from the largest software developer to many smaller start-up companies, and now boasts a number of over 135 partners.