Siemens Partners Up with German Development Cooperation for Vocational Education

As Egypt continues to work to achieve economic diversification, more and more entities are joining in the task of giving vocational education and training to build and nurture a young pool of talents. Striving to boost those efforts, Siemens and the German Development Cooperation (GIZ) teamed up to develop Zein Al Abedin Technical School in Cairo, based on the German dual education model.

“Today’s industrial sectors are undergoing rapid change. Manufacturing systems are becoming increasingly complex and digitalised, and these systems require qualified highly-skilled individuals," said Emad Ghaly, CEO of Siemens Egypt, during a tour around the school. "This joint initiative is designed to ensure that teachers and students have the tools, resources and expertise to maximize technology’s potential and improve learning outcomes,” he added. 

The announcement was made during a visit to the school by education and business leaders, including Tarek Shawki, Minister of Education and Technical Education; Ahmed El Geyoushi, Deputy Minister of Education; Andreas Kuck, country director of the GIZ alongside Ghaly. The initiative involves equipping the school with a set of technological and learning solutions, developing the curriculum, providing teacher training as well as driving transformation for an enhanced learning experience that prepares students for the future. Siemens is considered one of the largest providers of dual education programmes across the world.

The German dual education system combines theoretical, practical and on-the-job learning across a wide range of technical fields. Problem solving, collaboration and digital literacy are among the top focus areas to prepare the youth for the digital future. “This partnership underscores the long-term commitment of Germany to support the efforts of the Ministry of Education and the Egyptian private sector towards youth empowerment,” said Lars Fiechel, responsible for the activities related to the enhancement of the Egyptian dual system within German development cooperation.