Amman - Minister of Labor Dr. Khaled Al-Bakkar confirmed that the number of employment contracts supported through the National Employment Program reached 46,223 contracts, half of which were for women.
اضافة اعلان
In an interview with the Jordan News Agency (Petra), Al-Bakkar stated that the number of contracts supported by the program for National Aid Fund beneficiaries reached 5,196 contracts, with 2,228 contracts signed with women.
He added that the Ministry of Labor, in coordination with the Ministry of Planning and International Cooperation, is in discussions with the World Bank to restructure the National Employment Program to improve its effectiveness, expand the scope of beneficiaries, and extend the program period to ensure the continuity of efforts to provide job opportunities for Jordanians in all sectors.
Al-Bakkar pointed out that the "Sijil" platform, launched by the ministry in 2019, is the national employment platform designed to enhance networking between the public and private sectors. Job seekers and employers have been invited to update their data on the platform, and those who haven't registered yet are urged to do so in order to allow the ministry to market these Jordanian talents through the documented data for both the Jordanian labor market and international markets, helping them access job opportunities inside or outside Jordan through cooperation with brotherly and friendly countries.
Regarding the productive branches initiative, Al-Bakkar explained that it is one of the best programs implemented by the ministry. It is a royal initiative that started in 2008, and 2,556 new workers have been employed through it,
bringing the total number of workers in the productive branches and units in the governorates to about 10,000 in various sectors by the end of 2024.
He also mentioned that three productive branches were opened in Um Al-Jamal in Mafraq, Al-Jadida in Karak, and the expansion of the Souf branch in Jerash, with five new productive branches being established in Al-Faysaliyah in Madaba, Al-Fuheis in Balqa, Eastern Mafraq, Al-Mujib in Karak, Wadi Aniza in Ma'an, and Mghayir Sarhan in Mafraq.
In an effort to reduce dependence on foreign labor and achieve stability in economic sectors, Al-Bakkar explained that the ministry implements its projects within the framework of the executive program for the economic modernization vision, linked to strategic objectives, with the first being to increase the number of Jordanian workers in the labor market based on the principle of equal opportunities by raising worker productivity, changing the work culture towards professional and technical jobs, enhancing self-employment projects, reducing violations in the labor market through organizing labor issues, strengthening inspection systems, occupational safety and health, social protection, and enhancing labor relations and organizing professional work.
Al-Bakkar continued that other measures include strengthening partnerships between the public and private sectors, civil society organizations, and international organizations to ensure joint efforts in employment, improving governance in the employment and vocational training sectors, raising the quality of services provided, automating them through quality standards, and improving and developing institutional performance. The ministry is also coordinating with the private sector to establish training academies, starting with the Phosphate Company to train youth for mining sector jobs, and preliminary coordination with the Bankers' Association to establish a training academy for future jobs.
On the development of vocational and technical training, Al-Bakkar noted that the Ministry of Labor and the institutions it oversees are working on implementing the economic modernization vision in the education and vocational training sector, contributing to providing economic opportunities for Jordanians, stimulating inclusive and sustainable economic growth, and enhancing Jordan’s global competitiveness through establishing a governance framework for the sector in line with global best practices.
He mentioned that last year, 651 technical staff members were trained in various courses, the construction of the Northern Badia Institute was completed, and 10 workshops in institutes were updated. Equipment and machinery are being supplied, and upgrades have been made to the electric and hybrid vehicle maintenance center and the jewelry center. In cooperation with Al-Hussein Technical University, a program to enhance technical and vocational education and training has been implemented.
Al-Bakkar also mentioned that the ministry is working to increase the number of sectoral skills councils, which are made up of private sector members, and there are 15 sectoral councils in various fields under the umbrella of the Vocational and Technical Skills Development Authority. Each sectoral council identifies labor market needs for professions and training programs to prepare Jordanian youth for employment opportunities and provide them with decent livelihoods.
The Vocational and Technical Skills Development Authority grants professional practice certificates to enable youth to obtain credentials proving their competence in the sector for which they were certified.
Al-Bakkar emphasized that the Development and Employment Fund provides soft loans for small and medium enterprises and entrepreneurial projects for young men and women interested in starting their own businesses. These projects help them become self-reliant and create job opportunities for their peers.
Regarding policies and measures followed by the ministry to replace foreign labor in the agriculture, construction, and industrial sectors, Al-Bakkar explained that the ministry’s tasks include organizing the labor market, controlling the employment of foreign labor in violation of regulations, and preventing foreign workers from being employed in closed professions reserved for Jordanians.
He confirmed that the ministry is working through the Occupational Safety and Health Directorate to ensure a decent, healthy, and safe working environment in the private sector, including the construction and agriculture sectors.
Al-Bakkar noted that the ministry, as part of its contribution to providing economic opportunities for Jordanians by organizing the labor market, has established a series of regulatory measures for foreign labor from November to December 2024. The goal is to enable different economic sectors and activities to legally hire foreign workers while providing training for Jordanians to meet market demands.
Looking ahead, Al-Bakkar said the ministry is preparing a labor market information and data system, which will serve as a repository for labor market information. This will help track the number of job seekers and their skills, enabling better decision-making and more precise labor market regulations. Additionally, the ministry is setting up a "Labor Market Observatory" based on performance indicators derived from the labor market data system, ensuring that labor market decisions are accurate and objective.
Al-Bakkar concluded that the ministry will focus on linking the employment of foreign labor with the employment of Jordanians and equipping Jordanians with the necessary skills to gradually replace foreign labor in the labor market without affecting the productivity of the private sector.
