Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- Opening ceremony of Korea-Uzbekistan Ferghana vocational training center was held on 1st June. Vice Minister Mukhitdinov Erkin Madorbekovich of Ministry of Employment and Labor relation, Ferghana Governor Khayrullo Xayitbayevich Bozorov, ambassador Hee-sang Kim of Embassy of the Republic of Korea in the Republic of Uzbekistan, and KOICA Country Director Sunjin Park were attended in the opening ceremony.

Ambassador Hee-sang Kim, Embassy of the Republic of Korea in the Republic of Uzbekistan, congratulated Ferghana vocational training center has been opened. He mentioned that he wishes Ferghana vocational training center contributes economic development not only Ferghana region but also Andizhan and Namangan region as a center for fostering remarkable technical professional. 

After opening ceremony, meeting with enterprises in Ferghana region will be held to develop cooperation industrial-educational cooperation. Moreover, teachers of vocational training center under ministry of employment and labor relations will be invited for the technical training program. 

As part of ‘Project for establishment of Ferghana Vocational Training Center (2018-2022/$9.32m)’, KOICA built a 5,313 m² training center with a practice building, an administrative building, and a dormitory, and provided training equipment and facilities together. In addition, Korean vocational training experts of KCCI (Korea chamber of commerce institution), which is a project management organization, collaborated with local officials from the Ministry of Employment and Labor relation and local teachers to develop the manual of operation, curriculum and teaching materials for 5 subjects (electricity, IT, automobile maintenance, beauty, and costume production).

Through this project, local teachers who have strengthened their training capabilities will implement the Uzbekistan government's mid-term education program in 5 classes. Students will be able to grow into technical personnel required by local industries through a total of 8 months of training, including 6 months of theory with practical training and 2 months of practical training in the industrial field. In addition to these basic courses, it is expected that Ferghana grow into a mecca for nurturing technical manpower in the Ferghana region by additionally operating short- and medium-term courses based on market and industrial demand and cooperation.

Ferghana vocational training center is the 4th vocational training center opened by KOICA in Uzbekistan with Korean grant aid. Tashkent vocational training center is the first vocational training center which started to implement the 6 months training program in Uzbekistan. Samarkand vocational training center has developed sustainable employment and start-up model by adopting industry-academic cooperation, mid-term training system, and fostering start-up program. The project of Sharishabz vocational training center had implemented completed with consulting for non-regular vocational training legislation and national competence standard system. 

KOICA promotes to establish the 5th vocational training center in Khorezm, western region of Uzbekistan. In addition to the construction of the vocational training center, the teacher’s training center will be established in Tashkent and the system will be improved in the field of vocational training such as the establishment of the vocational qualification standard system in Uzbekistan.