Investing in education, skills, and well-being of youth has the highest return for human development, particularly in developing countries that otherwise have fragile environments for youth to thrive in.
An experienced senior manager, strategist, and technical advisor, Salem brings more than 20 years of expertise in TVET, skills development, labor market systems, private sector engagement, and youth employment across Asia and the Pacific, the Middle East and North Africa, and North America. A multilingual professional, Salem has led the development of policies, strategies, research, assessments, and technical assistance initiatives that strengthen the quality, relevance, and responsiveness of TVET and labor market systems at country, regional, and global levels. Salem's work has focused on industry-led reform, future of work, digital transformation, life and cognitive skills, and labor market adaptation in response to demographic and economic change. In addition, Salem brings over 15 years of senior program delivery and portfolio management experience, leading multi-million-dollar, multi-country, and multi-sector development initiatives. He has a strong track record in project design, implementation, quality assurance, results-based management, fiduciary oversight, and stakeholder engagement with governments, donors, private sector actors, and civil society. His current work centers on mobilizing financial, technical, and policy partnerships to advance TVET and skills development reform, with particular emphasis on 4IR, STEM and STEAM education, female participation, green jobs, just energy transition, and addressing skills shortages and mismatches.
