TVET UK delegation’s visit aims at supporting Saudization projects

JEDDAH: A nine-member delegation of leading UK technical education providers visited the Kingdom with the sole purpose to support Saudization projects, and had a workshop with their counterparts in a one-on-one meeting at the British consulate on Sunday.
Matthew Anderson, executive director of the National Association of Technical and Vocational Education Training (TVET UK), said in an exclusive interview with Arab News that it was their mission to bring the best of Britain’s skills industry to the international audience.
“Our focal point is in the British technical educational community, so we are offering, essentially, the best practice in various areas from the lyceum (institute for popular education) industry to develop qualifications, through quality assurance, or quality education delivered by colleges or training providers, and those qualifications are internationally recognized,” said Anderson.
“We are unique around the world, we have a special quality body structure, and our qualifications are global, so what we bring to Jeddah and Riyadh will be of the same standards as what we bring to London, Beijing and Moscow,” he explained.
The delegation visited Riyadh, Jeddah and Al Khobar where they met with the Chambers of Commerce, Saudi Aramco and Saudi Petroleum Service Polytechnic. They also met with representatives from the education and training sectors within the Kingdom. 
“Our Idea outcome is that we have a number of colleges and institutes, we don’t work with British Universities because technical vocational education is taken through the college system in the UK,” he said. “British colleges are large organizations which already have 30,000 to 40,000 students on campus and are larger than many universities. We are encouraging colleges to work internationally,” he added.
He also said they knew Britain had a good history of taking students from different countries and teaching them in the UK.
“We are reversing that process by bringing British colleges to different countries like Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states, as well as around the world,” Anderson said. 
The role of the TVET is to work with governments, companies and institutions which are looking for British partners. Partnerships could be in equipment supplies for educational institutes, offering the latest equipments delivered and made with a curriculum in mind. They can also provide international certification for existing programs.
“Our main focus is to partner British colleges with government institutes and the private sector. We provide British training experts to offer British style qualifications. We are the skills industry; we have to develop the local market.
We prepare a package according to a facility’s needs. We bring the British educational system in to help the Saudi educational system,” said Anderson.
Representatives from leading UK colleges, training providers, awarding organizations and specialization equipment suppliers were represented in the delegation. They were looking to work with partners in the Kingdom on delivering key aspects of Saudization projects. 
Anderson said the UK team is keen on offering their training and skills development to public and private sector partners. TVET UK is the UK’s leading industry association for technical and vocational training. It has developed a strong relationship with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, having hosted a visit from the Ministry of Labor in April 2011, leading a trade mission to the Kingdom in May 2011, and accompanying the UK Minister of Skills, John Hayes, on his visit in May 2012.
“Many Saudis need to be trained as employees. It is important for companies to have access to training,” said Anderson.  Anderson said the key area is representation, holding on to jobs and arriving on time with the actual technical skills. Employable and industrially relevant skills are crucial for the development of a modern successful economy.
Saudi Arabia, with its Saudization policy, is at the forefront of regional thinking in this regard, and the UK companies coming to Saudi Arabia look forward to learning more about Saudi’s needs.
“The change in the coming 10 years will be very noticeable. The development in higher education is on its way to Saudi Arabia. This is the priority now, getting the young Saudis into work, minds are seeing that vocational education can be looked into, leading to a rewarding career,” said Anderson.
Michael Cockle, deputy consul general and head of the trade and investment section, said the workshop for the visiting delegation was a follow up of previous engagements, which really helped in reinforcing the strength and strong links between the JCCI and institutions in the UK and Saudi Arabia as a step toward a sustainable future.