For Immediate Release
Press Release
Today, the Forsah - Technical and Vocational Education and Training (Forsah TVET) program, funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and implemented by IREX and their partners, launched the Private Sector Enterprises and TVET Institutions Partnership in Ramallah. More than 50 representatives attended from the private sector and TVET institutions as well as TVET students in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.
The partnership event highlighted the beginning of a collaborative effort to enhance the quality of TVET programs in line with the needs of the private sector and the labor market, in addition to empowering Palestinian graduates with the necessary tools to participate effectively in the local economy. 38 private sector firms and umbrella organizations across the West Bank and East Jerusalem signed a total of 45 Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs). The MOUs create structured and sustainable partnership frameworks that foster collaboration and mutual benefit. The partnerships will empower youth and better respond to labor market needs.
Partnerships between the private sector and TVET institutions foster collaboration in five main areas: 1) exchanging knowledge and data, 2) developing curricula and research, 3) improving work-based learning programs and employment services, 4) building institutional TVET capacity, and 5) sharing equipment and infrastructure to train students.
The partnerships between the private sector and TVET institutions are grounded in a needs assessment and intense collaboration between the Forsah TVET Program, representatives from the private sector and TVET institutions, and input from TVET students in order to bridge the gap between TVET institutions and the labor market. This ultimately enhances the development of the technical and vocational institutions and the integration of marginalized groups, especially women and people with disabilities, through job opportunities that respond to market needs and participant skill sets.
USAID West Bank and Gaza Mission Director Amy Tohill-Stull commenced the event by emphasizing USAID’s commitment to advancing long-term development goals for Palestinians in the area of economic growth and more broadly, with a particular focus on Palestinian youth.
“Real partnerships between TVET institutions and the private sector are pivotal to ensuring relevance of the TVET programs to market needs. Just yesterday, I visited Palestine Polytechnic University (PPU), one of our Forsah-TVET partners that is developing a new training program called ‘Manufacturing, Maintaining, and Operating Industrial Machines", and was able to witness firsthand the fruits of collaboration between TVET institutions and the private sector firms, which ultimately benefit Palestinian youth and play a key role in driving the Palestinian economy,” stated USAID Mission Director Tohill-Stull.
The Forsah TVET Deputy Chief of Party, Nidal Ayesh also added: "To achieve the objectives of this activity, Forsah TVET has developed an innovative strategy centered on a tripartite partnership approach. The uniqueness of this partnership ensures collaboration and engagement among technical and vocational institutions, private sector entities, and youth, leading to a comprehensive and effective pathway to better meet market demands and equip youth to succeed in the economy.“
The event included several sessions that highlighted the Forsah TVET program’s key achievements and the importance of fostering such partnerships between the private sector and TVET institutions. Representatives from TVET institutions and the private sector discussed the impact of these partnerships on their organizations . In order to put youth in the center of program planning, the event engaged youth to contribute toward discussions on how to enhance the quality of and access to technical and vocational training. Moreover, the event showcased their experience with the Forsah TVET Program and its impact on empowering them and providing space for their opinions to be heard.
The USAID-funded Forsah TVET Program supports technical and vocational training institutions to better prepare Palestinian graduates for the labor market. The project enhances the capacity of these institutions to respond to the needs of the private sector by creating partnerships with private sector firms, and youth in specific sectors. At the same time, the project will increase enrollment in technical and vocational training programs in order to supply skilled graduates and contribute to sustainable supply-demand linkages and meaningful opportunity for youth to participate in the labor market.
For more information please visit:
https://www.irex.org/project/forsah-technical-and-vocational-education-training-forsah-tvet-west-bank-and-gaza
The Forsah TVET Program is made possible by the generous support of the American people through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). Forsah TVET is implemented by IREX in partnership with DAI, Virginia Tech (VT), Development Gateway (DG), Business Women Forum Palestine, Bethlehem Chamber of Commerce and Industry, AnNajah, An-Najah Company for Consultancy and Technical Studies.