Approaching European Standards by Developing Skills in the Construction Sector
On 29 January the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sport of Georgia and the Infrastructure Construction Companies’ Association (ICCA) hosted the Cooperation Forum ‘Skills for Construction – Construction for Skills’ with the support of GIZ, at the Georgian Technical University. The guiding theme of the event was vocational qualification in the construction sector in Georgia. Representatives of construction companies, associations, training institutions, and ministries engaged in a lively dialogue about how to provide construction professionals with the skills needed to meet European standards. The event particularly considered the state of implementation of dual vocational training which recently started in ten construction companies and three vocational colleges. Dual TVET is a specific form of vocational education that is particularly responsive to the job market and is jointly designed by the state, the business sector and civil society. It combines training at the VET College and in the company and provides "better skills for better business."
Irina Abuladze, Deputy Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sport of Georgia, highlighted the necessity of skills related to occupational health and safety (OHS) and energy efficiency. “The construction sector is one of the most rapidly growing and dynamic sectors in Georgia. Companies seek young people that are well-trained and bring a combination of up-to-date theoretical and practical professional skills,” she stated. This was confirmed by construction companies that underlined their commitment to contribute to training young people in the Georgian construction sector.
Practical orientation for construction companies to enhance the energy efficiency standards in buildings was provided by distributing and discussing the guidebook ‘Energy Efficiency in Construction’ – a result of the programme ‘Private Sector Development and Technical Vocational Education and Training in the South Caucasus’ (PSD TVET SC) in close cooperation with the Union of Experts for Sustainable Energy and Environment (UESEE).
Successful participants of the training ‘Occupational Health and Safety in Construction’ were handed certificates by the Deputy Minister of Internally Displaced Persons from Occupied Territories, Labor, Health and Social Affairs of Georgia, Tamila Barkalaia. OHS training helps to save the lives of Georgian construction workers and to introduce international standards to increase safety on construction sites in the short-term and to improve the competitiveness of Georgian construction companies in the long run, as they adhere to EU standards and expand their businesses.
The event was supported by the Private Sector Development and Technical Vocational Education and Training Programme South Caucasus, implemented by Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), on behalf of the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). It highlighted the fruitful cooperation of Georgia and Germany in supporting the private sector in adapting to European standards, particularly in the fields of energy efficiency and work safety in the construction sector.