Rockwell Collins has joined an initiative with Airbus, TAQNIA Aeronautics, the Saudi Technology Development and Investment Company, Saudi Arabian Airlines and other Saudi companies to support the aviation innovation challenge, Entaliq in Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, to benefit the aerospace industry. The program is organized in conjunction with King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST) based in Saudi Arabia.

Rockwell Collins will work alongside the partners to organize student workshops and provide employee mentors to students over the coming months. Interested students apply for the opportunity to share their innovative ideas with program judges who will select three winners for an incubator program with the partners. During those internships, the companies will help the selected winners to industrialize their ideas.

Rockwell Collins, which has an office in Riyadh, is joining Entaliq as part of its commitment to grow local human capital in Saudi Arabia and to support the Saudi Arabia Vision 2030, which is a roadmap for the Kingdom's development and economic objectives. This program exemplifies the company's overall commitment to help strengthen the industrial capabilities of the defense and aerospace industry throughout the Middle East.

"We've been present in the Middle East for almost a quarter of a century and we continue to develop valuable relationships with local entities in Saudi Arabia in conjunction with Airbus," said Talel Kamel, managing director for the Middle East, Turkey and North Africa for Rockwell Collins. "We are proud of this collaboration that enables us to share our knowledge and expertise in domains such as avionics and communication with local students and fresh graduates who are working on leading technologies and capabilities-thus providing an ongoing talent incubator in the region."

Contributed by Rockwell Collins