Cairo – Ashraf AboArafe
The International Labour Organization (ILO) and the Embassy of Switzerland co-hosted a working breakfast in Cairo on 13 March 2018 to launch the findings of an ILO legal review titled “Apprenticeship in Egypt – Towards a Unified System?” which evaluates different apprenticeship systems implemented across Egypt and offers policy recommendations on how to strengthen them.
High-quality apprenticeships, which allow young people to receive on-the-job training with an employer, usually in partnership with a school or training provider, are viewed by the ILO as a key means of boosting youth employability by enhancing young people’s professional skills while helping companies and organizations find the labour they need for the future. Switzerland, which has ranked Number 1 on the World Economic Forum’s Global Competitiveness Index for the past nine years in a row, has a well-established apprenticeships system widely seen as one of its economic success factors.
The findings of the ILO’s review are the outcome of study of different apprenticeship systems in Egypt that are implemented under the authority of the Ministry of Education and Technical Education, the Ministry of Trade and Industry, and the Ministry of Manpower. The review comprises various recommendations for Egypt based on the findings, including the need for greater inclusion of worker representatives in the design of apprenticeships and the importance of bringing together different models, rules and incentives for apprenticeships to make them more attractive to employers.
“Quality apprenticeships are a highly effective tool to improve school-to-work transitions for young people. They are a win-win-win model: Apprentices learn while they earn, employers ensure that skills are relevant and can recruit the best apprentices, and government benefits through a more effective and cost-efficient skills development system based on partnership. Egypt has a great potential to engage employers of all sizes in apprenticeship – through the right enabling institutional framework and incentives that work for all sides,” said Mr. Peter Van Rooij, Director of the ILO Cairo Office.
In Switzerland, which has one of the lowest youth unemployment rates in Europe, apprenticeships have helped create a labour market that meets the needs of enterprises. Two-thirds of all young people coming out of compulsory education in Switzerland enroll in vocational education and training.
“The Swiss experience shows that apprenticeships are highly effective in developing young people’s skills to ensure that they match employers’ needs. It is an honor for the Swiss Embassy to co-launch the ILO review on apprenticeships in Egypt. In line with Egypt’s Vision 2030 which calls for a significant increase in the number of students enrolled in technical and vocational education and training, the review aims to contribute to effective policy dialogue on apprenticeships in Egypt,” said Paul Garnier, the Ambassador of Switzerland in Egypt.
The ILO has a global programme on high-quality apprenticeships which seeks to foster dialogue among governments, workers and employers to improve the quality, legal framework, partnership and employment outcomes of apprenticeship systems at the national level, and promote knowledge-sharing at the international level. The Embassy of Switzerland in Egypt has a comprehensive programme on inclusive sustainable economic growth and employment, of which a main goal is to create more and better jobs for Egyptians through skills development, training and entrepreneurship.
The launch event in Cairo co-hosted by the ILO and the Embassy of Switzerland in Egypt brought together decision-makers from relevant ministries, government agencies, representatives of employers’ and workers’ organizations, development partners. Embassies and UN Agencies, to discuss the review’s findings, exchange expertise, and engage in dialogue and debate on apprenticeships in Egypt.
