Vocational and technical education (TVET) is emerging as a need and a timely priority in societies, as it is a crucial resource to building a promising future for young people, as well as its high importance in providing them with skills, tools, and specializations that would open doors for them in the growing labor market.
Following this cultural and educational approach, which is an invaluable opportunity for young people, the Arab Renaissance for Democracy and Development (ARDD) and Al-Khwarizmi Technical University College signed a cooperation agreement to provide educational scholarships to 15 young women and men between the ages of 18 and 28, with the aim of enrolling them in vocational training courses within the college’s programs, in addition to improving employment and livelihood opportunities for refugees and host communities in Jordan.
This cooperation comes within the framework of the Education Strategy at ARDD, and within the project “Investing in the Future: Improving the Livelihoods and Education of Minority Refugee Groups within Society in Jordan”, launched by the organization in partnership with Vision Hope International, and with financial support from the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, with the aim of protecting vulnerable communities in Jordan through universal access to quality education.
Through this project, ARDD aims to provide innovative educational opportunities and modern technologies to empower young Jordanians and refugees from Sudan, Somalia, and Yemen, in order to enhance their active contribution to the development of the local economy and society in general, as empowering these individuals not only enhances their personal opportunities, but also leads to building a more sustainable and prosperous society.
According to Zainab Al-Khalil, Director of Programs at ARDD, focusing on TVET is a long-term investment in the future, as this collective effort between ARDD, Al-Khwarizmi College, and the funding entity embodies a commitment to providing equal opportunities for learning and development for all, regardless of their backgrounds or challenges.
Furthermore, Al-Khalil pointed out that vocational and technical education is not just an educational achievement, but rather a key to exploring new horizons and building a better future for future generations, stressing the need to invest strongly in this field and support and enhance efforts to empower young people to become pioneers in a world full of opportunities.
In turn, the Executive Director of Al-Khwarizmi University Technical College, Suzan Qaddoumi, who signed the agreement on behalf of the college, said that these grants come in line with the vision and mission of the university college, which coincided with the forty-fifth anniversary of its establishment, aimed at developing the less fortunate students in the region, indicating that vocational education is the future that provides the labor market with the various skills and tools it needs, in addition to saving time and material costs for students and their families.
For his part, the Director of Training at Al-Khwarizmi College, Abdul Karim Al-Batayneh, praised ARDD’s role in supporting vulnerable groups in the targeted communities in Jordan, stressing that the quality of the programs selected by ARDD is characterized by being of a flexible nature, where participants can enter the labor market and get some of the most demanded jobs, in addition to the possibility of starting a private business, so the programs included specialized courses in entrepreneurship.
ARDD had launched the Invest in the Future project in response to the educational needs of Sudanese, Yemeni, and Somali refugees, as well as Jordanians in the most affected host communities, to ensure access to quality education and lifelong learning opportunities for all as a key pillar for poverty alleviation, enhanced protection, and enabling lasting positive social transformation and community cohesion.
