To drive employment opportunities for Egyptian youth and “increase workforce localisation” in line with Egypt Vision 2030, Germany’s Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and Siemens have signed a strategic alliance agreement to support occupational training in Egypt, with a total investment of more than 22 million euros.

Under the agreement, Siemens (www.siemens.com) will join forces with the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH (on behalf of BMZ) (www.giz.de) to establish and operate a joint technical training centre in Ain Sokhna.

This will provide training for more than 5,500 young Egyptians (over the next four years) in the type of advanced technical skills that are critical to the Egyptian economy.

These include: industrial mechanics; electrical engineering; automation and control; and the maintenance and repair of power plants and wind farms.

Also supported will be the modernisation of a Higher Technical institute in the Al Ameriya area of Cairo.

The announcement was made at a ‘brick-laying’ ceremony attended by Gerd Müller (German Federal Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development), Sahar Nasar (Egypt’s Minister of Investment and International Cooperation) and Julius Luy, the German Ambassador.

Commenting on the signing, Gerd Müller said: “Egypt’s youth is looking for sustainable development. To achieve this, private investments and a qualified workforce are essential.

“Our co-operation with Siemens will ensure that the new occupational training centre takes the needs of young people, as well as the local job market, into account.

“We want to provide the basis for future investment and more jobs in Egypt.”