CAIRO: Minister of Trade and Industry Rachid Mohamed Rachid and Prince Andrew, the Duke of York, led on Monday senior representatives of Egypt and Britain's largest companies in an "education roundtable to discuss the role of Egyptian businessmen and their British counterparts in promoting vocational training and skills development in Egypt. As Britain's Special Representative on Trade and Investment, Prince Andrew's visit coincides with the Egyptian British Business Council's (EBBC) biannual meeting in Cairo. The meeting will debate the results of the first vocational training program, a joint cooperation between the EBBC and Egypt's Industrial Training Council. The program provides advanced management training to representatives of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) operating in Egyptian industry and will graduate its first 60 candidates today. "Vocational training is at the heart of Egypt's industrial development strategy and raising the competitiveness of Egyptian industry. We are pleased to be supported by the Egyptian British Business Council in such an important endeavor, Rachid told Daily News Egypt. The Industrial Training Council (ITC), a subsidiary of the Ministry of Trade and Industry, was established in July 2006 in an effort to fill the huge skills gap in Egypt's large industrial workforce. All vocational training provided by the ITC is directly linked to specific employment opportunities and identified skill shortages within Egyptian industry. Since January 2007, the ITC has trained 157,000 individuals. "There is a strong focus on education and human capital to sustain Egypt's growth. Egypt needs a skilled workforce, and the British education system could be of help through the strong academic and institutional links between both countries, Prince Andrew said at a press conference. The ITC works in close public-private partnerships (PPPs) with the business community, and private sector training providers to upgrade the skills of workers as well as provide training to unemployed citizens. The new management program being delivered jointly with the EBBC is an example of this PPP training model. "Public-private partnerships in the health and education sectors are immediate priorities. The UK is a pioneer in this area, since 1992, 800 projects have been signed worth £40 billion of investment. Britain is ready to offer its help and expertise if it is required, added Prince Andrew. Senior representatives from industrial SMEs received five consecutive modules on advanced management training, with active contributions from representatives of EBBC member companies, who participated in the training modules and provided role models and case studies for trainees. "Through the ITC, we are addressing the specific skill shortages experienced by investors in Egypt's industrial sectors and creating jobs throughout industry, Rachid said. The EBBC education roundtable will seek to explore ways of enhancing the training program, as well as exploring alternative avenues for British-Egyptian cooperating in the area of training and skills development. "I am here to pass on the information to British investors who want to invest in a country that is always reforming, Prince Andrew said. Earlier that same day, Prince Andrew inaugurated new branches of Barclays Bank in Egypt. There are 600 British companies operating in Egypt, worth LE 100 million. "We expect that with the success of Egyptian reform and the ongoing economic liberalization, investment in Egypt will increase for everyone, not just Britain, Jon Wilks, British spokesman told Daily New Egypt. To sustain its growth, Egypt must build on the success in recent years and develop the education sector. "Britain is ready to give Egypt advice on reform through PPPs in the infrastructure and health domains, he said.
