Diaspora

Despite relatively high education and enrolment rates in Palestine, interviews with a wide range of stakeholders (including education providers, employers, and students) indicate a gap between employers’ needs and skills available in the labour market. Leveraging human capital from the Palestinian diaspora can help enhance capabilities among the local labour force by providing access to global best practice, knowledge and innovation, thus having a cross-cutting enabling impact in the economy.

In 2013 The Portland Trust worked with global experts Diaspora Matters and the private sector to develop a coherent and effective strategy to better engage the Palestinian Diaspora.

In 2015, The Portland Trust launched a programme to attract diaspora and international talent to Palestine to work on short-term (up to one year) fellowships with Palestinian companies. The aim is for the diaspora and international professionals to satisfy the skill needs of local private sector companies, develop the local talent through skills transfer, and to strengthen their ties with Palestine. The Portland Trust completed a survey of the talent gaps in the leading Palestinian companies and identified over 20 available positions. The Portland Trust promoted the programme to diaspora and international professionals through relevant professional networks.