Second phase of nationwide campaign promoting skilled crafts among youth concludes

AMMAN — The second phase of the nationwide “My Craft is My Mark” image campaign has come to an end with a closing event. 

The campaign was launched in March 2023, had been launched by the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ) GmbH project “Qualification Oriented to Employment in the Craft”.

It is commissioned by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, in cooperation with Education for Employment-Jordan (EFE-Jordan), and the German Kreishandwerkerschaft Steinfurt Warendorf (KH ST-WAF), in coordination with the Jordanian Ministry of Labour and the Technical and Vocational Skills Development Commission (TVSDC), said a statement made available to The Jordan Times.

The aim of the campaign was to encourage the uptake of skilled crafts among young men and women across Jordan. 

Throughout its two-month duration, the “My Craft is My Mark” campaign promoted the diverse skilled crafts sector and highlighted the local labour market’s most in-demand professions, namely carpentry, bakery, car mechanics and solar panel installation. 

By sharing inspiring success stories, the campaign targeted local youth and their families, raising awareness of the significance of these occupations and positioning them as promising careers for securing better futures, while emphasising their positive impact on communities and the national economy at large. Moreover, the second phase focused on increasing the participation of women within the skilled crafts sector, which experienced a further decline during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“As in many other countries, and in Jordan as well, many young people think studying at university is the only option for their professional lives. However, after graduation, many of them are unemployed. With this image campaign, we want to show young people that vocational training in a craft occupation also offers great opportunities for a dignified life. Through the joint efforts of our team and our German and Jordanian partners, it was possible to implement this very successful second phase of the image campaign. I really hope that through the campaign, we can encourage more and more young people in Jordan to learn a skilled craft profession that makes it possible to fulfil the desires of the heart with their own hands,” commented Georg Derbsch, head of the GIZ project “Qualification Oriented to Employment in the Craft”.

“Our goal was to reduce the stigma surrounding vocational professions and inform youth of the viable career opportunities available within the skilled crafts sector. Campaigns like this can change the way young men and women perceive vocational jobs, making them more willing to participate in the labour market. Skilled crafts provide youth with sustainable income, empowering them to support themselves and their families, while contributing to the wider economy. We extend our sincere gratitude to our partners for supporting the launch of the campaign’s second phase, and although ‘My Craft is My Mark’ has ended, EFE-Jordan remains committed to helping young Jordanians connect to the labour market and unleash their full potential,” commented Ghadeer Khuffash, CEO of EFE-Jordan.