Queen Rania Inspects Centre for Vocational Training in Salt

October 11, 2009

(Office of Her Majesty, Press Department- Salt) In conjunction with national efforts aimed at reforming the Vocational Training Corporation (VTC) and reduce youth unemployment, Her Majesty Queen Rania Al Abdullah, on Sunday, met with local and international VTC partners at the Al Salt Professional and Traditional Career Centre. In a meeting with Jordan’s Minister of Labor H.E. Ghazi Shbeikat and the Italian Ambassador in Jordan H.E. Francesco Franzoni, Queen Rania discussed efforts aimed at raising training standards in VTC’s across the Kingdom. During the meeting, Her Majesty was briefed on the status of VTC in Jordan and on the reform process which focuses on developing a demand-driven training system which better responds to market needs and equips graduates with the necessary skills required to join the workforce. VTC is currently comprised of 37 vocational training centres and 9 specialised institutes that provide 237 training programs across the Kingdom. Since 1976, VTC has trained 287,000 students, of which 9,021 have graduated in 2008. The VTC reform, which also seeks to transform the social negative image attributed to vocational training, focuses on strengthening partnership with the private sector, improving the output of training and raising awareness around the benefits associated with Vocational Training (VT) programs. Through targeted programs, VTC have trained inmates, Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) and international companies who have benefited from Jordan’s expertise in the field of technical training. Also at the meeting, Her Majesty was briefed on the reform process which will include a major restructuring of the VTC’s operating principles, with the aim of creating a more autonomous and accountable body capable of attracting higher quality trainers and better qualified students, including female trainees. In an effort to enhance competitiveness, reforms will also ensure the participation of employers in each training centre to ensure trainees are up-to-date with the renewable demands required by the labour market. Queen Rania stressed that an institutional mechanism which includes reaching out to MSE’s is needed to forge strong and sustainable linkages with employers, who should be involved in designing curriculum and accrediting training institutes. “To enhance the work of VTC’s in Jordan we must build partnerships with academic institutions and utilize international expertise in the field of vocational training,” she added. Before concluding the visit, Her Majesty toured the facilities of the Salt VTC and met with a group of students, who were attending a pottery engraving workshop. The VTC in Salt is currently being supported by the Italian Government and the ILO through the provision of high quality equipment which enhance the quality of training of the existing ceramic, textile and silk-screening programs.