Ramallah, West Bank – Under the USAID-funded Vocational Training and Education Program, which is implemented by Save the Children in partnership with Mercy Corps, the League of Vocational Education and Training Headquarter Office was opened today (Wednesday) and three memoranda of understanding were signed at a ceremony held at the Grand Park Hotel in Ramallah.

The event was attended by official representatives of the Palestinian ministries of education and labor, and Dr. Howard Sumka, USAID Mission Director.  Also attending were representatives of international and local NGOs, Palestinian officials, international donors and humanitarian aid agencies, as well as representatives of Palestinian vocational training organizations and the private sector.

The League of Vocational Education and Training Headquarters will be the primary location for leading league operations and coordinating between the League Institution members, Donors, stakeholders, main actors/players in the TVET sector, official Palestinian Bodies and the Private Sector.

The League office will host the Career Resource Center which will provide career guidance and counseling services to youth, and connect youth to training and employment opportunities.  The Career Resource Center will also serve private sector companies in establishing links with TVET institutions and the needs of the Market.

The first MOU was signed between Save the Children and the League to provide the needed support to establish the League Office and operations including office establishment, systems and operations development, and a set of structured technical support activities.

The second MOU was signed between Millennium Energy Industries and the League, governing cooperation between the League members and MEI for training, curricula development, and cooperation in terms of providing the needed skilled labor for their projects and introducing the new technology in solar energy.

The third MOU was signed between Mercy Corps and the Palestine Polytechnic University, governing the role of both parties in developing and hosting (Bader online) which is an online site for youth entrepreneurial and business skills development.

The cooperative agreements, MOUs and the inauguration of the League Headquarters represent an activity of the Vocational Education and Training Program, implemented by Save the Children and Mercy Corps with support from USAID.  The Program aims to strengthen and diversify the skills of young Palestinians and to promote vocational training among Palestinian youth and their communities while also building links between the League of TVET institutions and the private sector.

Through participation in the program, young Palestinians will be able to contribute to the growth of the Palestinian economy and their families’ livelihoods.  In addition, the Vocational Education and Training Program is assisting the League of Vocational Education and Training to transform vocational and technical careers into viable and sustainable options for Palestinian youth.

Since 1993, USAID has provided more than $2.2 billion in U.S. economic assistance to Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza via projects designed to combat poverty, improve health and education, create jobs, and promote good governance.