The Work Based Learning (WBL) scheme in which students combine a theoretical education in a technical or vocational institution with a practical internship in the private sector is already successfully implemented by BTC in various areas in the West Bank and Gaza.

Last year, a first WBL-pilot project has taken place in the YMCA in East Jerusalem. More than 50 students have at that occasion completed a WBL course in Office Management.

After this successful pilot project, more WBL initiatives are now coming to East Jerusalem, through joint projects between GIZ and BTC.

One of these projects “Fly High” has been launched on November the 30th. It focusses on the tourism sector and will be implemented by Juhoud, in collaboration with Notre Dame of Jerusalem Hotel & Center and the Arab Hotels Association (AHA).

The primary aim of the project is to bridge the gap between the technical and vocational education and training system (TVET) and the private sector. As the main source of economic development in East Jerusalem is the tourism and services sector, this pilot project will be limited to this sector.  

The Fly High project aims to:

1. Build a strong and reliable consortium of Palestinian NGOs and Private Sector Organizations to provide training and employment services in E-Jerusalem
2. Establish a multi-purpose employment service “One Stop Shop (OSS)” in E-Jerusalem and provide a continues employment service
3. Improve the Technical and Life Competences of 200 youth (gender sensitive) in the field of Tourism and Services 
4. Engage 100 youth who received the training with the Work Base Learning program for 2 months
5. Open windows to 70-80 youth (Gender Sensitive) to achieve their aspiration (fly-high) by finding a decent work  

A second initiative in cooperation with the Palestine Education for Employment (PEFE) organisation has just started as well. In this project, PEFE will train 75 unemployed, underprivileged youth. Half of them graduated as a nurse, while the other half is a graduate in hospitality studies. Thanks to the WBL initiative, they will have training opportunities in cooperation with the Arab Hotels Association – for the hospitality students – and the Hospitals association – for the nurses.