AmCham Abu Dhabi members Boeing and Amideast have partnered to help young people across the Middle East and North Africa explore careers in aviation and aerospace through the AeroSTAR program.

The collaboration brings together Boeing’s aerospace expertise and Amideast’s experience in education and youth development, giving students hands-on opportunities to build leadership, problem-solving and communication skills while learning about the future of aviation.
In its first year, AeroSTAR is engaging 216 high school students aged 15 to 18 across Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, Morocco and the UAE, introducing them to the full breadth of careers that power the aerospace ecosystem — from engineering, research and manufacturing to safety, sustainability and business management. The need is real.

“Aviation is a cornerstone of Middle Eastern economies and is expected to require 234,000 new professionals over the next 20 years,” said Fahad Al Mheiri, Boeing President in the Middle East, Gulf and North Africa. “AeroSTAR will show students that there are many exciting regional and international careers in aviation beyond being a pilot or a member of the cabin crew.”

In the UAE, the program’s first cohort recently completed its journey with a final team competition, and the impact was visible in the students themselves.

“It was amazing to see these kids grow throughout the program and get to develop their skills, and to see the impact the program had on them,” said Sara El Dallal, Country Director of Amideast UAE.

AeroSTAR is a strong example of the cross-sector teamwork AmCham Abu Dhabi seeks to foster. By connecting leaders across industries and creating space for substantive engagement, AmCham helps members discover shared priorities and translate relationships into action.

That teamwork is part of a larger mission. For 40 years, AmCham Abu Dhabi’s member network of nearly 400 and growing has worked to promote trade, investment and goodwill between the U.S. and UAE. Members like Boeing and Amideast show what that looks like in practice: companies that inspire each other, and the next generation, along the way.