Egypt to partner with private sector for developing vocational training centres

Ahram Online , Tuesday 14 Jan 2025

Minister of Industry and Transport Kamel El-Wazir has met with the heads of 35 industrial investment companies to discuss their involvement in operating and developing 43 vocational training centres across 18 governorates in Egypt, according to a Ministry of Industry and Transport statement.

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This partnership agreement between Egypt and the private sector will outline the roles, responsibilities, procedures, and cooperation standards necessary to ensure progress in vocational training across the country.

The meeting aimed at strengthening the private sector's role in Egypt's economy, which is a key component of the country’s current economic plan under its $8 billion Extended Fund Facility loan programme with the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

Egypt's private investments grew by 30 percent in Q1 FY24/25according to data published by the Ministry of Planning, Economic Development, and International Cooperation.

The country also seeks to boost the private sector's share of total investments to 65 percent by 2030.

 

 

This initiative aligns with Egypt’s broader industrial strategy. It focuses on the development of the country's workforce through improved training institutions and research centres.

El-Wazir clarified that the initiative's goal is to enhance the workforce's skills, thus improving industrial quality and boosting export capabilities. This would ultimately contribute to foreign currency inflows.

Egypt aims to rank among the top 50 global exporters in the near future. It also targets reaching the top 20 by 2030, with plans to increase exports to $145 billion the same year.

During the meeting, the minister and company representatives reviewed the locations of existing vocational training centres managed by the Productivity and Vocational Training Department.

They also discussed plans for developing new centres in industrial zones, with a focus on improving existing factory training stations.

The centres will be equipped with specialized laboratories, workshops, libraries, and computer and language labs to ensure a comprehensive educational and training process for skilled workers in high demand.

Additionally, the minister indicated that future vocational training curricula will be developed through coordination between the productivity authority, the Ministry of Education, and private sector-operated technical schools.

Meanwhile, investors also expressed their full support for the initiative, viewing it as a valuable opportunity to create skilled labour and meet the demands of both domestic and international markets.

They suggested that training centres currently managed by other ministries be transferred to the Productivity and Vocational Training Department to unify strategies and processes and further strengthen the sector.

This collaboration is expected to significantly enhance Egypt's vocational training capacity, supporting the country’s industrial growth and meeting the needs of its manufacturing sector.

Furthermore, El-Wazir instructed officials to form a technical committee to draft a partnership agreement model with the private sector for managing and operating vocational training centres.

The committee will be led by Ihab Ramadan, head of the Productivity and Vocational Training Department.

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