“I applied to this course because I already know that I will be able to get a job. In my region there is a high demand for security and alarm systems installment, maintenance and repairs but there are not many qualified professionals. Some of my friends went to University, but employment opportunities are better for me after this training than for them once graduated” said Mahmoud, a young Palestine refugee from Tulkarem. (The names of students quoted in this articles have been changed).
Mahmoud is one out of 8’000 young Palestine refugees benefitting from UNRWA’s TVET to foster livelihood opportunities and access to the labour market. The programme has a great success rate: 80% of the participants found an employment over the past years although, due to Covid-19, the level dropped in 2020 to 74.5%. UNRWA achieves this result through alliances with the industry, labor market relevance and the innovation of its staff. UNRWA Placement and Career Guidance offers orientation to UNRWA school students and placement assistance to TVET graduates.
TVET plays an increasingly important role in mitigating poverty and UNRWA’s aim is to improve and increase access to TVET for Palestine refugee youth, particularly those from vulnerable groups. In fact, UNRWA uses selection criteria to promote access to the most vulnerable youth.
For these reasons and in line with the new Swiss International Cooperation Strategy 2021-2024, and the Swiss Cooperation Programme Near-East 2021-2024, SDC’s newly established support to UNRWA TVET centers and digitalization aims to increase job opportunities and offer livelihood opportunities to Palestine refugee youth, including to the most vulnerables.
