Mohammad Batikha is the oldest of four children. The only source of income for the entire family was his father’s wage, which was insufficient to cover the their basic needs.
When Mohammad joined YCI, he had been applying for jobs at hotels but had not been able to reach the interview stage due to his lack of experience and skills. He was not able to study either owing to a lack of financial support. He says: “YCI was an opportunity to improve myself, increase my knowledge, and to help my parents.”
The ProgrammePrior to finding out about YCI, Mohammad had aspired to work in the tourism or hospitality sector, and to become an airline pilot.
When he enrolled in the programme, the soft skills training helped him define his goals and objectives. Mohammad discovered his ability to take on a leadership role. He now dreams of reaching a senior position such as hotel manager, after being inspired by the professional career paths of the staff he was taught by. He says:
"I heard many times during my training that for example, this employee started from zero and now they are in management positions, so this encouraged me more"
For Mohammad, the most important elements of the training programme were the soft skills training, and the constant advice and encouragement from staff and managers at the Four Seasons Amman and the Jordan River Foundation.
Outcomes Thanks to the quality of the work experience and training Mohammad received at a leading hotel in Amman, as well as the life skills training provided by the Jordan River Foundation, he now works as a HR Coordinator at a local hotel with a monthly salary. He gives half of this to his family.
Mohammad is actively involved in helping new YCI participants and graduates to make the most of the initiative.
He feels that the programme was crucial in helping him define his career goals and would advise future YCI participants to pay close attention to the practical training as it truly enabled him to develop and refine a range of work and interpersonal skills.