TalPods-Jusoor Tech Talent Pipeline: Empowering businesses while transforming lives

December 5, 2023 - 10 min read

In the heart of the Middle East's thriving tech industry, at TalPods, we are empowering the region's younger generation to bridge the widening talent gap for top-tier software engineers. Rooted in a social impact mission dedicated to uplifting the livelihoods of these young individuals, it is our moral imperative to especially extend our hands of enablement to the ones who have endured the trials of war and displacement.

Fleeing the tribulations of a war-torn Syria, many ambitious young Syrians look to a software engineering career as their ticket to a brighter future for themselves and their families. But what sets these individuals apart is a unique background of endurance and battles against far greater challenges than the rest of us, and so they emerge as heroes that possess characteristics of superior grit and resilience. Combined with an unwavering ambition for success, driven by their urge for a better tomorrow, these characteristics are the recipe for outlier talent that drive positive impact in any organisation.

We experienced this firsthand with Mahmoud, featured in Wamda's 'The baker who learned to code’. Amidst the daily challenges faced by refugees like Mahmoud in Lebanon, legal barriers and their lack of experience prevent them from filling local and international tech roles. Refusing to give up on his dream, Mahmoud eventually crossed paths with TalPods and joined our apprenticeship program where we placed him at Calo - one of the fastest growing FoodTech companies in MENA. Despite another year-long journey with obstacles and a steep learning curve, Mahmoud persevered and triumphed. Today, he proudly serves as one of Calo’s high-performance full-stack software engineers, providing a comfortable living for his family, and is in the process of relocating them for a stable and prosperous life in Bahrain.

Stories like Mahmoud’s inspire us to amplify his success. The barriers he faced continue to hinder many Syrians, leaving a goldmine of great potential inaccessible by businesses. Meanwhile, these individuals are often constrained, unable to escape the cycle of financial distress in high-inflation economies where they have taken refuge. Today, we are changing this narrative through our transformative partnership with Jusoor, an international NGO that has empowered 12,000 displaced Syrians with career opportunities and scholarships at prestigious institutions worldwide.

Through our joint initiative known as the 'TalPods-Jusoor Tech Talent Pipeline', TalPods and Jusoor have proudly come together to transform the lives of Syrians whilst empowering businesses with outlier talent of exceptional grit, competence and professionalism.

Benefits to participating employers

Over $30,000 in sponsorship support for every hire

Through our collaborative effort, Jusoor is harnessing its donor network to sponsor outstanding Syrian talent. As a participating employer, you will receive upward of $30,000 worth of sponsorship support allocated for each sponsored talent you hire through the initiative. This financial backing covers 75% of the cost of talent salary and specialised training provided by the TalPods apprenticeship program for up to a year.

Mid-Senior Level productivity from day 1

TalPods will pair your apprentice up with a dedicated mentor. This is a top lead engineer with 8+ years experience and exceptional competence in software engineering, solution architecture, leadership and mentorship. Through intensive daily coaching, pair-programming and code reviews, this mentor-apprentice duo operates as a single unit within your team, giving you a combined output of Mid-Senior Level engineering right from their first day on the job.

Outstanding talent, tailor-made for your team

‘TalPods-Jusoor Tech Talent Pipeline’ selects Syrian talent who exhibit outstanding intelligence, software engineering competency and an unwavering level of resilience and drive. Due to the rigorous nature of the apprenticeship, the talent experiences accelerated growth across technical and soft-skills. Within just one year, your talent becomes self-sufficient as a Mid-Level Engineer who was tailor-made for your production environment and trained by the best.

Silicon Valley standards of engineering

We instill Extreme Programming standards such as BDD, TDD and CI/CD - a set of methodologies and principles proven to cultivate a culture of the highest standards of software engineering.

Become an agent of positive change

Besides benefiting from exceptional talent, you will be a contributor to a broader social cause. You become architects of change, playing a pivotal role in transforming lives while fostering an inclusive and diverse work environment.

Which companies qualify?

Your company is eligible to apply for the talent and support package if:

You are already a revenue-generating business.
You have been in operation for at least 1 year.
You have a core tech team already in place.

For Employers

Sponsorships are awarded for a limited number of placements only.

Apply now to secure your Sponsored engineer and redeem 75% cost coverage

Benefits to aspiring Syrian Tech Talent

As a selected talent, you are not only securing a prosperous future for yourself and your family, but you will embark upon a one of its kind journey of growth to become a highly impactful contributor to the thriving tech ecosystem:

Working for some of the hottest companies in tech and contributing to their mission-critical activity.
Earning an attractive income from day one, with the potential to increase after completing the apprenticeship.
Mastering your technical and soft skills through intensive training, on-the-job mentoring, and real-world experience.
Learning the highest standards of engineering from the best in the industry.
Accelerated growth reaching Mid-Level Engineer within just one year.
You will become a highly sought-after engineer with competitive employment prospects.

What to expect?

The TalPods-Jusoor program lasts up to 18 months and includes two phases:

3 months preparation bootcamp - fast-track from Entry Level to Associate Level Engineer

As preparation ahead of your in-company placement, you will join us in a full-time intensive experience building production-ready applications in an Agile team. You will be mentored by top lead engineers, equipping you with the most in-demand technologies and the highest standards of software engineering. Jusoor will be supplementing the experience with further soft skills training for high performance teamwork.

9-15 months apprenticeship - fast-track from Associate Level to Mid Level Engineer

This forms the core of the program: a compensated work opportunity where you'll join a tech company as a full-time team member. Paired with one of our top lead engineers as your dedicated mentor, you'll collaboratively contribute to your employer's product roadmap while undergoing accelerated development of technical and soft skills through intensive on-the-job daily coaching, pair-programming, and code reviews.

Who can apply?

This program primarily targets Syrian talent displaced in Lebanon, Jordan, Turkey, and Iraq. Eligibility includes:

Technical Skills:
1. a. Completed a degree/diploma/training in computer science or a similar field
2. b. Proficiency in data structures and algorithms
3. c. Familiarity with operating systems and computer networks
4. d. Experience with programming fundamentals
5. e. Knowledge of coding languages like C, C++, Java, Python, or similar.
Additional Requirements:
- a. Intermediate English language skills.
- b. Strong communication and interpersonal skills, problem-solving, and critical thinking abilities.
- c. A growth mindset, and a passion for a career in software engineering.
- d. 0-3 years of work experience in a related field for career switchers(optional).
Ideal candidates should be hardworking, consistent, eager to learn, and possess ambition, resilience, and adaptability to face challenges in the fast-paced tech industry.

For Aspiring Syrian Tech Talent

Sponsorships are awarded for a limited number of placements only.

Apply now to supercharge your career growth and join the ranks of the most in-demand software engineers.

Our partnership with Jusoor is more than a collaboration; it's a commitment to building bridges of hope and opportunity. By investing in aspiring Syrian engineers, we aren't just bridging a talent gap but creating a ripple effect of positive change where every success story becomes a testament to the transformative power of opportunities.

Find out more about 'TalPods-Jusoor Tech Talent Pipeline'.