Six-Month Labor Market Oriented Course Scholarship Program (LMP)

Overall Description

This action, implemented by Luminus Technical University College (LTUC), aims to:

·        Prepare 170 Syrian refugees and 80 vulnerable Jordanians for the labor market by creating labor readiness training programs that will find the gap between Technical, Vocational Education and Training (TVET) centers’ output and labor market needs.

Potential Majors

Various up-to-date training programs are currently offered by LTUC (EDU-SYRIA III) in the LMP action. The offered programs are based on the findings of the market research that was completed and published during an event held at Amman Chamber of Industry back in November 2021 (Labor Market Study). Based on the findings of the research, the programs to be trained under 6 months trainings were selected with EDU-SYRIA team. The selected training programs, including (but not limited to):

·        Training Program in Computerized Decoration and Carpentry 

·        Training Program in Cooling & Air Conditioning Engineering

·        Training Program in Electrical Installations and Control Machines

·        Training Program in Industrial Fashion Design

·        Training Program in Mobile Phone Maintenance

Duration of Study

The duration of each training program is 6 months.

LMP’s Benefits

·        Enrollees, Syrian refugees and underserved Jordanians, will be granted a similar amount of 500€ overall stipend to mitigate their lack of finance during their period of study.

·        Enrollees, Syrian refugees and underserved Jordanians, can benefit from the LTUC’s library equipped with many books of latest knowledge in the developed world.

·        Enrollees, Syrian refugees and underserved Jordanians, can benefit from a special space called EDU-SYRIA Corner. Students, from the project and the general students’ body, might use to study or collaborate on projects and do other school assignments tasks.

 

General Information about LMP

The LMP design was based on two factors. First, the courses were tailored based on survey research (including focus groups from different industries) that were conducted before launching the courses. The contents, the specific industry, e.g., textile vs. pharmaceutical, and the set of required skills were determined by the results of the study, which were oversight by LTUC with the cooperation of Amman Chamber of Industry (ACI), Amman Chamber of Commerce (ACC), and the Technical & Vocational Skills Development (TVSD) Commission. with the participation of EDU-SYRIA. Second, there is a specific legislation that targets foreign workers including Syrian refugees. Although most of the basic-skilled occupations, such as agricultural, construction, and manufacturing positions, are open for Syrian refugees, there are certain high-skilled sectors that are not accessible to those job seekers.

Therefore, EDU-SYRIA III is cognizant of the types of industries the courses are focusing on, which in part are the ones that Syrian refugees can work at and be employed. The other courses fit the underserved Jordanians. The expected outcome is to have both groups, the Syrian refugees and vulnerable Jordanians, ready as they enter the workforce to immediately hit the ground running.

It should be emphasized that the Jordanian government and EU representatives signed the Jordan Compact agreement. Under the conditions (i) businesses in Jordan must employ a certain proportion of Syrian refugees and produce in one of 18 Special Economic Zones and (ii) in one of 52 product categories. Once these conditions are met, the rules of origin are also adjusted to require only 30% value addition within Jordan.” Latest data shows that work permits offered to Syrian refugees were concentrated in construction 56%, 25% in agriculture, 6% in manufacturing, 5% in food services, 4% in wholesale trade, and another 4% working in different activities (Ministry of Labor, 2018).