Aqaba, Sept. 28 (Petra) – A two-day consultation workshop opened Monday in Aqaba to connect private-sector employers in southern Jordan with BTEC schools and expand work-based learning, practical training, field visits, and future employment pathways for students.
The workshop is organized by the Ministry of Education and Human Resources Development in cooperation with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), with support from Global Affairs Canada.
It is part of the Transforming Technical and Vocational Education and Training in Jordan (2024–2027) project.
The program brings together employers, sector representatives, and BTEC schools to identify practical areas of cooperation and address skills gaps and barriers to work-based learning.
Education Ministry Secretary-General for Education Sahar Shakhatreh said the ministry is continuing to develop BTEC vocational and technical education tracks in line with labor-market needs.
She said private-sector partnerships are central to the effectiveness of these programs because they offer students workplace-based learning opportunities and practical skills that improve their readiness for employment.
Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority (ASEZA) Commissioner for Tourism and Youth Thabet Nabulsi said tourism, hospitality, and service businesses in Aqaba can provide practical training environments for students. He added that the authority is working to better align education outcomes with the needs of local economic sectors.
UNESCO education specialist Tab Raj said private-sector participation is a key component of building a more flexible vocational and technical education system linked to labor-market demand.
The first day of the workshop covered information technology, business, art and design, creative media, and agriculture. The second day will focus on hospitality, tourism and travel, construction and the built environment, engineering, hairdressing, and beauty.
The program also includes presentations on BTEC pathways and work-based learning models, as well as experiences shared by employers and vocational education graduates.
A key part of the workshop is an interactive "Partnership Lab," where employers and ministry representatives work in groups to identify priority skills gaps and obstacles to work-based learning.
//Petra// AO
