Amman: Director General of the Vocational Training Corporation (VTC), Dr. Ahmad Gharaibeh, welcomed an official Canadian delegation led by Minister of Post-Secondary Education, Training and Labour of New Brunswick, Jean-Claude D’Amours, and Deputy Minister of Labour of Nova Scotia, Dana MacKenzie. The meeting included representatives from both public and private sectors.
According to Jordan News Agency, the partnership aims to implement the executive program of the Economic Modernization Vision (2025-2028) and boost international cooperation in the vocational training sector. This initiative is part of the third round of meetings between Jordan’s public-private sectors and the two Canadian provinces, involving local partners such as Jadara University and Middle East Aviation Academy.
During discussions, both sides explored potential collaboration mechanisms between the VTC and the Canadian provinces. The Canadian governments expressed interest in formalizing agreements for joint training programs, which would focus on equipping degree-holding youth with professional skills needed in the Canadian labor market, as well as improving their English language proficiency.
The statement highlighted priority sectors in Canada facing a shortage of qualified workers, including healthcare, renewable energy, electric and hybrid vehicle maintenance, tourism, hospitality, information technology, digital skills, construction, home and aircraft maintenance, and aviation sciences.
Jean-Claude D’Amours stated that New Brunswick needs to fill over 133,000 job vacancies, while Nova Scotia anticipates more than 90,000 job openings by 2025. This underscores the necessity for enhanced cooperation and accelerated vocational training efforts.
Both parties acknowledged the importance of twinning VTC-affiliated institutes with Canadian counterparts to integrate Canadian curricula and training standards. This would provide Jordanian students with advanced training opportunities in Canada, giving them a competitive edge in the global market.