? The tech industry is experiencing its most bewildering moment in decades — simultaneous mass layoffs and a record demand for talent. Analysts have tallied over 126k job losses across 257 companies this year alone — Intel cut 15% of its workforce, Microsoft nixed 15k roles, and Amazon 30k.

The World Economic Forum predicts that AI will create 170 mn jobs by 2030 while eliminating 92 mn. Their 2025 Future of Jobs Report projects that big data will see a 113% growth in jobs and machine learning specialists will see 83%. The ManpowerGroup 4Q 2025 survey shows IT maintaining a 35% hiring outlook, the highest of any sector globally. Net positive? Sure. But tell that to the 92 mn.

It’s no longer enough to work in tech — you need to work in the right part of tech… The layoffs have disproportionately hit roles that could be automated, consolidated, or judged non-essential to core operations. Meanwhile, specialists in AI, cybersecurity, data science, and cloud architecture are fielding multiple offers and negotiating signing bonuses that would make a sports agent blush.

… and Egypt may be an unlikely contender for one of the smartest places to build these careers. While Om El Donia is better known for the pyramids than Python, it has quietly built one of the fastest-growing tech sectors on the planet. The sector’s GDP contribution jumped from 3.2% to 6% in seven years, growing at a rate of 14-16% annually, according to ICT Minister Amr Talaat. The International Cooperation Ministry (MOIC) confirms the sector hit 10.4% growth in 2Q 2024/25.

By the numbers:

• Digital exports: USD 7.4 bn (up 124% from USD 3.3 bn in 2018);
• Outsourcing exports: Doubled from USD 2.4 bn in 2022 to USD 4.8 bn;

• Outsourcing centers: currently 270+ nationwide;
• Internet penetration: 81.9%, up from 72.2% in 2024;
• Network Readiness Index: Jumped six spots to 85th globally;
• Government AI Readiness: Climbed 46 places (111th to 65th) since 2019.

Is ICT the diploma to pursue for young professionals? Not necessarily, according to Ragui Assaad, professor and freeman chair of International Economic Policy at the University of Minnesota. “The focus should [extend] beyond the education system and focus on training,” he told EnterpriseAM in April. “Many people find entry points through short-term training rather than [a diploma].” Translation: university degrees matter less than practical skills, and the training infrastructure is doing the heavy lifting.

The training ecosystem has exploded: From 4k trainees in 2018/19 to 500k in 2024/25 and projections of reaching 1 mn by 2030. ITIDA reports that 300k+ jobs were created in offshoring alone, with 30%+ participation by women.

Global players have noticed. Deloitte’s Innovation Hub, Capgemini’s AI Center of Excellence, and PwC’s Digital Services Export all set up shop in the Egyptian market within 18 months. Deloitte’s hub is already at 350 employees and scaling; Capgemini plans to double its workforce to 1.2k by year-end, and triple it by 2026 — these aren’t exploratory pilot programs, they’re strategic bets backed by serious capital.

At the Global OffshoringSummit in November, 55 international companies signed agreements projected to create 75k jobs over three years. Accenture, Luxoft, RSA, and Teleperformance signed expansion agreements. If the cluster effect is real and success breeds success, Egypt is reaching critical mass.

What’s keeping operations leaders up at night? The brain drain risk. “There’s a worry among employers that we’re losing a lot of people who have these skills to other Arab countries,” Assaad told us. Gulf states pay more and actively recruit Egyptian talent, and are served by the remote work revolution — talent can serve foreign clients without actually leaving the country.

Egypt’s response? The best defence is a good offense. The updated National AI Strategy focuses on making Egypt a developer rather than a consumer. The national ICT sector isn’t just growing, it’s maturing into a legitimate global player at exactly the right moment. The value proposition is compelling: significant cost savings for international players versus Western markets, competitive pricing with traditional offshore destinations, superior time zone alignment for European operations, and infrastructure that’s finally catching up to ambition.