Egypt and several other Arab countries are participating in the Forum on Building Experts through Private-Public Partnership which opened in Vienna on Thursday.

The event is organized by the Austro-Arab Chamber of Commerce (AACC).

The forum aims to highlight measurable steps in order to facilitate, enhance and if necessary establish the Apprenticeship System’s and Vocational Training’s institutions in interested countries.

The forum addresses three main topics; namely the Austrian apprenticeship and vocational training system and international cooperativeness; some Arab vocational training systems; and samples of training programmes of the private economy.

Egyptian, Arab and Austrian companies will participate in an exhibition to be held on the fringe of the forum.

In Austria the dual apprenticeship and vocational training system is based on a solid public-private partnership: the governmental side provides the legal framework, the financial resources and the educational infrastructure; the local Chambers of Commerce play an important role in the related administration and the private economy delivers the training in practice. One positive aspect about this system is that teachers and trainers already work in the particular field of expertise. Therefore, the apprentice and trainees achieve an ideal education which combines theory and practice in a state-of-the-art system.

Some Arab countries have already introduced similar systems. However, the formal work-based learning combined with theoretical education still has a great potential for the future. Whereas some countries already reached a high level of vocational training, others are still in the beginnings.

Sources: MENA