“Skills for Business, Business – for Skills” International Conference Has Launched
2018-11-28
Today, “Skills for Business, Business – for Skills” Vocational Education and Training (VET) International Conference, organized by the RA Ministry of Education and Science and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and implemented by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH within the framework of the “Private Sector Development and Technical Vocational Education and Training, South Caucasus” (PSD TVET) programme, has launched in Yerevan. The RA Deputy Minister of Education and Science, Arevik Anapiosyan, the Deputy Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany to the Republic of Armenia, Klaus Wendelberger, as well as delegates and speakers representing public and private sectors of Armenia, Germany, Austria, the Netherlands, Russia and the USA, attended the conference. Prior to the conference, the guests have got acquainted with the works of the students of VET institutions. Welcoming the participants of the event, the Deputy Minister of Education and Science, Arevik Anapiosyan, has extended gratitude towards the Embassy of Germany to the Republic of Armenia, the GIZ organization and the Staff of the Ministry of Education and Science for organizing such an important and representative international conference. “I am really impressed by getting acquainted in the presented pavilions with the wonderful works of our college students, which gives us an opportunity to realize once again the importance of the Vocational Education and Training in our lives. I am happy to say that the sector of primary and secondary vocational education has a great and important role in the RA Education Development Strategy, especially, when it is included in the strategic programme concepts and it is a pivotal sector in the scope of international cooperation. During the last six months, as there is a new government in the Ministry of Education and Science, thanks to the efforts of the Deputy Minister of Education and Science cooperating that sector, Hovhannes Hovhannisyan, and the Head of the Department of the Primary and Secondary Vocational Education, Artak Aghbalyan, two pieces of agreement have already been signed with the employers, which will be an ongoing process. In the context of the cooperation with the employers, the introduction of the Dual Education is also of special interest, which is very important from the perspective of the graduates’ knowledge, skills and abilities. Today, we have a good experience of the Dual Education, which is going to be continuous as well. Moreover, we think of sharing this VET experience with the higher educational institutions. According to a recently published research on Armenia’s labor market, the graduates, who have not found their place in the labor market, have better education than required by the employers. And this is an alarming fact, so we need to raise the role of VET for the public, to direct the applicants to those professions that can also be acquired in the VET sector. The Ministry of Education gives primary significance to VET development according to the development potential of the RA regions, namely, the potential and orientation of the economic development of the regions, so that we are able to develop relevant VET institutions and professions there”, Arevik Anapiosyan has mentioned, wishing the participants effective work.
During the plenary session, a number of topics have been discussed, such as Dual VET for green and inclusive economy, VET and digitalization, general skills for ongoing education and development of entrepreneurial skills. During parallel sessions, presentations have been submitted by Armenian and international experts, and representatives of public and private sector. The conference will be held on November 29th.
