Improving job opportunities for young Palestinians

Context

High youth unemployment is a major challenge in the Palestinian territories. Palestinian companies need skilled workers and managers, but the current education system is falling short in terms of meeting this demand.

This is also true in the case of professionals and managers who are university graduates and have academic qualifications. Although companies require a skilled workforce, many university graduates are unemployed. According to current studies, more than half are initially unemployed after graduation. At the same time, employers find that graduates lack both practical skills and soft skills.

Objective

Employment opportunities for young Palestinians have improved thanks to training that meets the needs of the labour market.

Approach

The project supports Al-Quds University in East Jerusalem in developing and implementing vocational dual study programmes. This includes establishing contacts with companies, developing curricula and training plans, planning and implementing practical phases with the partner companies, and training teachers and instructors at the partner companies.

Five dual study programmes have already been introduced:

• Electrical Engineering
• Business Administration
• Digital Business
• Information Technology
• Industrial Engineering

The project also supports cooperation between the university and the private sector. This collaboration leads to joint concepts for practical and training phases, covering areas such as quality standards, training plans and teacher training.

The project also supports short-term courses for marginalised young people, giving them a chance to obtain labour market-oriented qualifications, for example in the fields of solar technology, automotive mechatronics and plumbing. These courses are developed and implemented by private sector and community-based organisations from all areas of the Palestinian territories (including Gaza).

Last update: November 2023