BEIRUT, April 7 (Xinhua) -- The Beirut Digital District and the World Bank on Thursday launched a three-year training program designed to equip 9,500 young people in Lebanon with digital expertise for the local, regional and global job markets.

       Dubbed "Skilling Up Lebanon," the program would help the youth build the right skillsets to thrive in an ever-growing digital economy, Saroj Kumar Jha, World Bank's regional director, said in a statement.

       "Without the right skills, Lebanon may not benefit from the opportunities disruptive technologies and digital firms have to offer, and the Lebanese workforce will find itself lagging behind its neighbors and counterparts," added Jha whose terms of reference in the World Bank cover Lebanon, Iraq, Syria, Jordan and Iran.

       Private companies attending the event pledged to offer program candidates their quota of job interview opportunities for the next 12 to 24 months.

       Beirut Digital District was launched in 2012 as a government-sponsored enterprise zone, aiming to create a hub for the digital and creative industries in Lebanon.