A new academy focusing on vocational training is being set up. Ta’heal International Academy (TIA) will integrate a vocational school, a vocational training centre, an entrepreneurship hub, and an employment centre.

The project is a collaboration between the Investing for Employment facility (IFE) together with the Ministry of Education, and Nahdet Misr Group, a provider of educational, capacity-building solutions.

With an investment of seven million euros, the academy will offer internationally accredited technical study programmes and diplomas in over 12 specialisations in key sectors, including manufacturing, tourism and hospitality, construction and building, and information technology and communication.

Ta’heal Managing Director Shoroke Zeidan said the focus is on applying green standards like the use of solar energy for generating electricity, the use of grey water for planting, biodiesel systems in the kitchens to recycle cooking oil, and rubbish compactors for biological waste.

At the same time, student projects will serve the green economy in the region. For instance, there will be a green technology department in the school so there will be more green technologists who will work in factories to ensure green practices.  

The IFE will cover 50 per cent of the investment while Nahdet Misr will cover the remaining amount, a press release said. IFE is an investment mechanism created by KfW Development Bank on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Co-operation and Development (BMZ) with the aim of removing investment barriers that prevent the creation of new and better jobs in the private sector in its partner countries.

The academy will also provide a wide range of vocational training programmes in various technical disciplines, equipping students with the necessary skills demanded by the job market, thereby enhancing the efficiency of the Egyptian workforce. To facilitate practical employment opportunities, the academy’s employment centre will connect students and trainees with major companies throughout their study period and offer promising job prospects upon graduation.

According to IFE Managing Director Steffen Kuhl, TIA is expected to provide 3,300 employment opportunities in collaboration with several companies that have expressed their commitment to hiring its graduates, he says.

Kuhl adds that the financial grant provided by IFE, 3.5 million euros, will be directed towards facility renovations at Nahdet Misr’s Begam Training Centre located in Shubra Al-Khaimah, construction, and equipment for technical workshops, modern technological tools, e-learning systems, and a comprehensive quality management system for the academy.

* A version of this article appears in print in the 23 November, 2023 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly