Professionals and decision-makers from the business and education sectors will participate in an advisory forum on vocational education and training (VET) on Monday 30 November 2009 at the British Council.

This initiative is part of the Skills for Employability programme developed by the British Council which addresses the demand for skills in a global economy so that national educational and training systems are better able to respond to labour market demands and learner’s needs. The partnerships fostered during this event would see that the Tunisian and UK colleges share expertise and ideas to take forward new approaches to skills training that would help better prepare young Tunisians for the workplace.

The forum is made up of professionals who have an extensive responsibility and knowledge of the VET sector, namely from the Ministry of Education and Training (MET), the Ministry of Higher Education, Scientific Research and Technology (HESRT), the Ministry of Employment and Professional Integration of Youth (MEPIY) and the Tunisian National Building Society( SNIT).

As part of the British Council’s Skills for Employability programme, the participating professionals will discuss and debate the development of the vocational training programme in Tunisia and make sure that it adheres to the needs of the region and the country. The decisions coming out of the forum will help ensure that the programme takes appropriate consideration of related VET initiatives. It will also enable the development of the Skills for Employability programme and activities to be informed by expertise in the region. The discussions will revolve around policies, institutional partnerships and professional networking to better roll-out the programme.

The Skills for Employability programme is a British Council programme whose overall aim is to support economic and social development by skills and enterprise training, and to provide opportunities for the next generation. Through Skills for Employability we engage the UK’s leading policymakers and agencies for skills and enterprise with their counterparts in the country and the region.

As a global programme, Skills for Employability works to address the challenges of globalisation and the demand for skills in a global economy - through facilitating college partnerships, working with policymakers, providing access to UK skills and training expertise and creating opportunities to promote innovation.

"This is a new dynamic British Council programme that is working towards creating opportunities for the next generation and building the skills of young people and adults. We aim to focus on positive engagement between employers and education, and work with government and its agencies to support their national vocational education and training development agendas " Hala Rizk, Regional Project Manager for Education, British Council.

So far, representatives from nineteen UK colleges visited six countries in the Middle East. The first step in the process was to apply for a formal partnership with key ministries in the country under the guidance and with the support of the Skills for Employability programme. During the visits UK delegates met Heads of Department from colleges within the country. They had the opportunity to tour the colleges, discuss course material, quality assurance and benchmarking and explore potential for partnership projects. The visit also provided an opportunity for the potential partners to gain an understanding of the importance of VET reform agendas in each other's countries.

Successful applications receive a British Council grant to take forward their partnership projects. Currently we have partnerships set up and agreed in the following countries:

Morocco with Llandrillo College, Syria with Bradford college, Egypt with Stockton college, Palestine with Anniesland college, Jordan with Castle College, and Lebanon with Craven College.

-Alarabonline-

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