Improving job opportunities for young Palestinians
Project description
Title: More job opportunities for Palestinian youth
Commissioned by: German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ)
Country: Palestinian territories
Lead executing agency: Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research (MoHE), Ministry of Labour (MoL)
Overall term: 2015 to 2023
Context
The population in the Palestinian territories is very young, with one third between 15 and 29 years old. The unemployment rate in this age group is about 40 per cent, but is even higher among university graduates (around 55 per cent).
This increases the level of frustration and lack of prospects for the younger generation, whose lives are shaped by the effects of the Middle East conflict. High unemployment is therefore one of the most pressing challenges in the Palestinian territories.
Despite high numbers of job-seekers, companies often have difficulty in satisfactorily filling their vacancies. One reason is that the qualifications of young people do not meet companies’ needs. Graduates frequently lack relevant practical skills and important soft skills such as teamwork and the ability to communicate well.
Objective
Employment opportunities for Palestinian young people have improved thanks to training that meets the needs of the labour market.
Approach
The project supports Al-Quds University in East Jerusalem in developing and implementing vocational dual study programmes.
The five courses (Electrical Engineering, Business Administration, Digital Business, Information Technology and Industrial Engineering) enable young people to gain a labour market-oriented university degree thanks to the practical blocks integrated into the course.
The project also supports short courses for marginalised young people, giving them a chance to obtain labour market-oriented qualifications, for example on solar technology, automotive mechatronics and plumbing. These courses are designed and run by private sector and community-based organisations in all areas of the Palestinian territories (including Gaza).
Last update: November 2021