On the 4th of October the final of the first National ‘PalestineSkills’ Competition took place in Ramallah. Young craftsmen and women were encouraged to take part in this competition and show their skills to the public in an effort to promote technical and vocational education and training (TVET) in the Palestinian Territory.

Young people from a wide range of crafts took part in the competition, which started more than 2 months ago. In a first stage more than 250 people subscribed, out of which 20 people were pre-selected for each vocation. In the second phase, they had to conduct a practical test in three different TVET institutions, depending on their craft: the tiling and painting in Jenin, graphic design in Hebron and pastry in Bethlehem.

A professional jury consisting of members of the chambers the private sector and TVET teachers, selected the five best craftsmen and women from each skill. These five people were given the opportunity to attend a two-day capacity building workshop. Afterwards, for the last stage, they were invited to compete at the finals of the 1st PalestineSkills National Competition in Ramallah.

The event was a joint initiative of the Ministry of Education and Higher Education, the Ministry of Labour and the the Federation of Palestinian Chambers of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture (FPCCIA). The event was supported by GIZ and the Belgian Development Agency.

During the finals, the three best craftsmen in tiling, painting, graphic design or confectionary were selected. They will now be prepared for participation in the next international WorldSkills Competition held in Abu Dhabi in October 2017. We wish them good luck!

More information: https://www.facebook.com/palestineskills