A cooperation agreement between Aleppo City Council and the Syrian Enterprise and Business Centre (SEBC) / SME Support Programme (SSP) was signed in the morning of 2 February, 2010 to provide training opportunities to students of the informal areas of the city of Aleppo in the aim to build their capacities and enhance their skills to meet the requirements of the business sector surrounding them.

The agreement was signed by Mr George Catinis, SEBC Aleppo Director, on behalf of Dr Rateb al-Shallah, President of SEBC and Dr Maan al-Shibli, President of the Aleppo City Council in the presence of Mr Hasan Ahmad Zeido, President of the Aleppo Chamber of Industry, Mr Faris Shihabi, President of the Aleppo Chamber of Industry, Chiefs of the informal areas in Aleppo, members of the Executive Office of the Council, representatives of the Urban Development Programme / German Organisation for Technical Cooperation (GTZ) and Our City programme – a development strategy for the city of Aleppo for 2025.

Signing ceremonies were opened by al-Shibli with a welcoming speech to attendees explaining that the agreement comes under the framework of strategic plans of the council for the development of the city of Aleppo under “Our City Programme – 2025” which also comes in line with the development and modernization plans of the Tenth Five-year Plan (2006-2010) complying with the deliberations of the Syrian President, Dr Bashar al-Assad. The agreement reflects the role of Aleppo City Council which is no longer limited to physical planning, formulation of law and implementation of main infrastructure, but extends to the development of a strategical viewpoint of urban management (comprehending the city, protecting natural recourses, raising standards of living from an environmental and economical aspect, social development in terms of traditions, culture and preserving the true heritage of the city of Aleppo, creating a children-friendly city in partnership with the young).


On his part, Catinis briefed the attendees on SKILLS - Superior Knowledge by Intensive Labour Learning Schemes, an initiative of the Syrian Enterprise Business Centre (SEBC) / SME Support Programme (SSP) and the European Training Foundation (ETF) for providing training opportunities for Syrian students in general and in particular students of the informal areas of Aleppo through this agreement.

“The programme provides the opportunity to acquire the practical skills needed to enter the labour market”, said Catinis pointing out that this agreement is the first of its kind signed with Aleppo Council. “As for SKILLS, this programme has already been tested several times over the years. It has been implemented in cooperation with Aleppo Chambers of Commerce and Industry last year graduating 20 students. This year, 60 students are being trained after selecting them from a group of 800 students. Currently, a new programme is being prepared with Aleppo Chamber of Tourism”.

He added that SKILLS is being funded by the European Union in cooperation with ETF through the SSP which is being currently implemented by SEBC. “This agreement in particular comes in line with SEBC’s role in economic and social development as it assists young students to secure better lives for themselves, their families and increase their standards of living.

The agreement is launched under SEBC’s role to provide the business sector with skilled labour and knowledge and under “Our City Programme’s” role in supporting sustainable development of the city of Aleppo and improving living standards for Aleppian citizens especially those with poor living conditions.

SKILLS for students of the informal areas will begin February, 2010 and will extend over one year training 20 students. As all SKILLS students, the acceptance is based on the passing of a written test, an interview and an English language placement test.

The programme includes business management and administration topics, English languages courses, computer courses accompanied at a later stage with practical training at local companies.

SKILLS for students of the informal areas is considered a programme test to see the effect of the programme on social and economic living standards of SKILLS students. Weak points and gaps will be identified for modification and development in future programmes.