Engineer Khaled Hashem, Minister of Industry, emphasized that building a modern and more competitive Egyptian industry relies primarily on qualified human resources capable of efficiently managing production operations, operating and developing modern technology, and achieving the utmost benefit therefrom.
This came during the Minister's participation in the graduation ceremony of the first batch of students from the Abu Zaabal Applied Technology School, held at the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization.
At the beginning of his speech, Engineer Khaled Hashem, Minister of Industry, expressed his happiness in participating in the graduation celebration of the first batch of the Abu Zaabal Applied Technology School, comprising 25 students, which represents a promising model for public-private partnership in developing technical education and preparing qualified cadres to meet the needs of Egyptian industry. He congratulated the graduates, their families, and the school administration and organizers, wishing the graduates a successful professional career and hoping they will serve as an honorable model for graduates of Egyptian technical education.
The Minister stated that investing in technical education and vocational training represents one of the most important enablers of industrial development, given its pivotal role in supporting technology localization, raising product quality and productivity, and enhancing the competitive capability of Egyptian industry. He pointed out that the Ministry of Industry has placed human resources development among its strategic priorities, in alignment with the directives of the Egyptian State to upgrade the technical education system and link it to labor market needs, and out of the Ministry's realization that the success of industrial development plans requires the availability of skilled and qualified technical labor to meet the needs of factories and support the development and efficiency of production operations. The ministry is working on developing the vocational training system through programs that combine basic skills development, technical qualification, and practical training inside factories, contributing to the preparation of cadres capable of competing in local and international labor markets.
Hashem explained that applied technology schools represent an important model for integration between the education and industry systems by combining theoretical study and practical training within a real production environment. The Abu Zaabal Applied Technology School stands out as a distinguished model for this partnership by offering a specialized major in the field of phosphatic fertilizers production, one of the strategic industrial sectors in the Egyptian economy that requires technical cadres possessing specialized knowledge and practical skills, while adhering to standards of quality, safety, and operational efficiency.
He emphasized that the graduation of this first batch reflects the success of an educational model that links technical qualification with actual industry needs, opening real opportunities for youth to join the labor market. He expressed his aspiration to expand such successful models to support the state's efforts in building a modern Egyptian industrial base relying on qualified human resources, advanced technology, and competitive production, while enhancing the connection between technical education and industry requirements, and introducing specializations that keep pace with current and future labor market needs.
The Minister addressed the young graduates, stating that their graduation today is not the end of a stage, but the beginning of a new journey of work, learning, and acquiring experience. He urged the graduates to continue learning, developing their skills, and keeping pace with modern technology, as the skills they acquired during their studies are the foundation upon which their professional careers will be built.
Hashem stressed that Egyptian and foreign investors are looking for workers characterized by merit, discipline, efficiency, and high productivity, considering the human element as one of the determining factors for investment trends. He pointed out that graduating these cadres will contribute to enhancing the ability of Egyptian industry to integrate into global supply chains.
At the conclusion of the ceremony, Engineer Khaled Hashem, Minister of Industry, and Hassan Sedky, Minister of Labor, presented graduation certificates and employment contracts to the graduating students.
