Sustainable jobs and vocational training for Jordanians and Syrian refugees

ILO officials concluded a field visit to the Jordanian governorates of Ramtha and Irbid to review activities carried out by the Flower of Life Association within an implementation agreement signed between the two parties.

The agreement falls under the ILO project “Towards an Inclusive National Social Protection System and Accelerating Decent Job Opportunities for Syrians and Vulnerable Jordanians,” funded by the European Union’s Regional Trust Fund in Response to the Syrian Crisis (Madad Fund). The project is part of the ILO Programme of Support to the Jordan Compact.

The agreement aims to transition Syrian refugees residing in Jordan from cash assistance to sustainable opportunities through vocational training and job placements. The agreement targets 142 Syrian refugees who will be placed in full-time employment and provided with on-the-job training, while the project is targeting a total of 2,500 temporary job placements and on-the-job training for both Jordanians and Syrian refugees by the end of the year.

The field visit to Ramtha Governorate included a visit to the Yasser Al-Salman Farm, which employed 19 Syrian refugees (8 women and 11 men) and provided on-the-job training in agriculture and product packaging under the supervision of specialized engineers from the National Agricultural Research Center.

Additionally, there was a visit to Elite Chemical Industries Company in Irbid Governorate, specializing in the chemical, veterinary, and skincare industries, which employs two Syrian refugees as packing and packaging workers, with plans to employ seven others.

The two companies provided a detailed review of their activities and an opportunity for ILO officials to meet several Syrian workers, to better understand their working conditions and receive their feedback on their experiences of the initiative.

ILO Chief Technical Adviser in Jordan Qais Al-Qatamin said: "The International Labor Organization and its partners in this agreement form one working team. We aim to employ the largest possible number of Syrians and Jordanians in available workplaces, providing a decent work environment, developing their expertise, and ensuring long-term job sustainability."

Director General of Flower of Life Association Ali Alfadaan said: "As a local community organization, we have played a role in networking with companies, sorting applicants based on competence and abilities, and considering people with disabilities. We are pleased to provide one-year-long job opportunities for more than 25 beneficiaries in the two governorates. We thank the International Labor Organization for this cooperation and hope for additional job opportunities soon."

The project is based on three main pillars: The first is eenhanced coordination, integrated planning, and monitoring of government-wide efforts in the social protection and employment sector. The second is concerned with enhancing access to the labor market, decent work, and employment-based social protection plans. The third focuses on the transition of Jordanians and Syrian refugees from cash assistance to sustainable jobs.