Erbil Polytechnic University and the World Food Program (WFP) have Completed a Development Course for Refugees, Displaced People, and University Alumni Youth

On Monday, the 25th of September, 2023, in a ceremony at the Erbil Technology College, in collaboration with the World Food Program (WFP), Erbil Polytechnic University fulfilled a training course for the refugee, displaced people and graduates’ youth of our university that have been trained for 10 months within the Jousour Project.

In the ceremony, Dr. Abdulfatah Abdulrazaq, the Minister Deputy of Higher Education and Scientific Research, Dr. Sabah, the Consultant of the Ministry of the Higher Education and Scientific Research, the Erbil Governor Umed Khoshnaw, the General Consul of the Germany Consulate Ms. Emily Hardo, Ms. Dashne Azad, the Director of CDC Centers in the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific , Mr. Ali Reza the General Director of WFP in Iraq, the Representative of the Ministry of Agriculture, the Head of Ainda Region, the of the Chamber of Commerce Representative, the Representative of the Barzani Charity Foundation, the members of our university council were present.

At the beginning of the ceremony, Mr. Kovan Omer, the Director of the of the Career Development Center (CDC) of our university welcomed the guests and expressed his appreciation towards his coworkers and facilitators of the success of this work and considered it as an important step towards finding and creating job opportunities for the university alumni.   

Then the Vice Rector for Scientific Affairs, Asst. Prof. Dr. Nageb Toma Bato welcomed the officials and guests and said:

“During the past 10 months, our university has fortunately successfully implemented the project (Jousour) initiated by the World Food Program and funded by the German Ministry of Cooperation.

The project was conducted for a group of youth in the refugee camps and some graduates of our university. The main objective of the project was to develop the skills of youth from low-income families in language, computer, job leadership, life skills, and financial inclusion This project is an example of creating a workforce for the future that can connect digital skills to the global digital market through the support of the career development centers.

To familiarize the labor market to the students who have completed the training course, a job fair was prepared for them today in the grounds of the Erbil Technology College with the participation of more than 25 private sector companies.”

Then, Dr. Abdulfatah Abdulrazaq, the Ministry Deputy of the Higher Education and Scientific Research delivered a speech after congratulating the graduates, hoped that the participants have benefited from the training and courses and acquired the skills to be employed in the labor market. He thanked our university, the World Food Program (WFP), and the German Consulate in Erbil for supporting the Career Development Centers and implementing the project.

Then Ali Reza, the General Director of WFP in Iraq and Emily Hardo, Consul General of the German Consulate in Erbil delivered speeches and expressed their readiness to support similar projects They are in it now. They congratulated the participants and were happy with the enthusiasm of studying in the classrooms and said that they have not reached today easily and have made great efforts to reach the current stage.

After the presentation ceremony, with the participation of more than 25 companies and institutions, a job fair was opened for job opportunities for young people participated in Jousour project and graduates of the Erbil Polytechnic University

150 people participated in the Jousour project to support and develop the skills of university graduates and refugee youth in the Kurdistan Region. The project was implemented jointly between the Erbil Polytechnic University and the World Food Program (WFP) with the financial support of the German government. The participants participated in the project courses theoretically and practically in the fields of English language, computers and the work methods for eight months.