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Palestina
The Palestinian Technical College in Deir Al Balah has more
than 1500 students, and already 2500 youth that graduated from their 23
different degrees. Despite the high youth unemployment in the Gaza Strip, there
are some degrees like hotel management and TV media where almost all (95+%)
graduates have found a job.
One of the secrets of the success of the school is its
awareness of the importance of cooperation with the private sector. So far each
student could follow an internship in the private sector for a couple of days,
but the school has realised this is not enough to prepare them for the labour
market. Therefore, since this year, the college has implemented a Work Based
Learning (WBL) scheme, funded by the Belgian state and implemented by the
Belgian Development Agency. The WBL scheme allows students to combine
theoretical classes in the college with practical skills in the private sector.
The first degrees where the scheme has been implemented are
the degrees in photography and media programme producing. The students enrolled
in this scheme are combining theoretical classes with a half-time internship in
the private broadcasting radio station of Fursan Al Irada. More than 50
students applied for the scheme. Based on the grades of the students as well as
their motivation, 15 students were selected, 10 male and 5 female students. As places are limited and the demand is high, the selected
students were requested to sign a commitment statement with the school to
decrease the chances of drop-outs.
“The students retain more details when explaining them the theory,
because they can directly understand the practical use of the courses”
To support the students throughout this new scheme, the
technical college has recruited a supervisor, especially for this WBL
initiative. Together with the teacher and the coach from the radio station, she
follows up on the progress of the students. The teacher himself went to visit
the students twice during their first month of internship. The biggest
difference is that they have more advanced skills than in a regular programme. He
has noted that they retain more details when explaining them the theory,
because they can directly understand the practical use of the courses. Furthermore,
he doesn’t have to teach them everything anymore, and can now focus on those
skills they do not acquire inside the private radio station. Thus, the
cooperation with the private sector has made his teaching easier.
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