Bid to develop labour skills to suit EU job market

The government welcomes co-operation with all partners at home and abroad with regard to labour issues.

This statement by Minister of Manpower Hassan Shehata came during his meeting on Sunday with European Union (EU) delegation led by European Commission Vice-President Margaritis Shinas and Christian Berger, EU Ambassador to Egypt.

The EU is one of Egypt’s main social partners and is looking forward to further co-operation, expertise exchange, mutual technical support, and the launch of joint projects for the benefit of the Egyptian and European labour market, the minister said.

President Abdel Fattah El Sisi attaches paramount importance to vocational training to introduce trained Egyptian workers into the local and international labour markets, the minister added.

Shinas said 2023 is the European year for skills development and an opportunity for Egyptian-EU co-operation in vocational training to qualify Egyptians for the foreign labour market in conformity with European standards.

The EU delegation reviewed EU co-operation with Egypt through a joint project for skills development and partnership in vocational training.

Shehata said that the private sector is a major partner with the Ministry of Manpower in this file.

The government encourages dialogue and co-operation with all national partners in building the nation, Shahata added.

Shehata said that his ministry is working with the Ministry of Education and Technical Education and the Federation of Egyptian Industries to develop technical education curricula to qualify students for professions needed by the labour market, taking into account the benefit from the expertise of the private sector in this field.

Egypt’s 2,300 technical schools have undergone change through a new strategy to provide jobs for graduates after three years of training from 18 to 19 years of age, he minister said.