International Development News
December 17, 2012
In association with the Jordan Green Building Council, MTC's Jill Elkins and Chris Krzeminski conducted a construction forum at the Jordan Construction Contractors Association in Amman, Jordan, on December 12. Engineers and employers with some of Jordan's major contracting and consulting construction firms attended. The forum focused on discussing the issues and challenges facing the construction industry in Jordan. Representatives from each firm filled out a short MTC survey and had the opportunity to identify relevant Jordanian skills in the areas of plumbing, electrical, HVAC, weatherization, facilities maintenance, and solar. MTC was able to acquire a lot of valuable information that will be used to inform future bids in Jordan.
October 24, 2012
During visits to Haiti and Liberia in 2011 and 2012, MTC conducted forums to evaluate and assess the business and workforce environments of Haiti and Liberia. From these forums, MTC was able to gather data concerning the workforce challenges and workforce demands of local businesses. Overriding themes generated from the results in both countries included:
- The predominance of men in the workplace - 2 to 1 in favor of men over women
- The high turnover of employees in firms last year
- An overwhelming interest by firms to expand their business
- The importance and necessity of technology in conducting business
- The lack of global connections and opportunities for work in other countries for firms
- The lack of skills among employees
- The overwhelming consensus by firms that (1) technical, (2) computer, (3) leadership and management, and (4) problem solving skills were the most important yet most lacking of skills amongst employees
- The interest of businesses to train their employees at Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) centers - over 70% of the firms expressed interest
- The strong interest of firms seeking employees with at least a high school level education or who graduated from vocational institutions
October 22, 2012
MTC International representatives, Diane Crosby and Jill Elkins, recently returned from a two week research trip to Jordan, Palestine, and Egypt. While in country, Diane and Jill visited local partners, ministries, educational institutions, and governmental organizations involved in vocational education and training and workforce development. This trip serves to establish and foster ongoing relations in the training and workforce community of this region as future opportunities develop.
May 21, 2012
In April, MTC International representatives, Diane Crosby, Carol Savage, and Craig Sudbury travelled to Egypt in preparation for an upcoming program centered on improving youth employment in Egypt. Diane, Carol, and Craig met with many stakeholders including local firms, government officials, and universities to gather information on how to better serve college graduates seeking to gain employment. MTC International will now prepare for potential program funding and looks forward to any future opportunities that may arise in assisting Egypt and its burgeoning youth workforce.
March 16, 2012
Jill Elkins and Ken Willis of MTC International visited Liberia in March making contacts with ministries and potential partners for an upcoming USAID proposal. While in country Jill and Ken visited local colleges and TVET centers and provided training for 70 employers in the construction trades. The training included a questionnaire of the workforce needs and skills demanded by employers, a review of the construction TARS and their application to Liberian trades, a value-chain identification exercise, and a safety checklist. Upon completion of the workshop, the employers were awarded certificates for their participation and completion of the forum. MTC will partner with Parsons-International, a U.S. engineering and construction company, to provide international development in the engineering and construction sectors.
January 27, 2012
January 12, 2012 marked the 2 year anniversary of a devastating 7.0 earthquake that struck Haiti killing hundreds of thousands and leaving Haiti’s fragile infrastructure severely damaged. Two years later, while Haiti’s progress has been slow, a renewed commitment to recovery and reconstruction has emerged in the development community.
In a spirit of caring and in an effort to contribute to Haiti’s recovery, members from MTC International returned to Haiti in January 2012 to continue the effort in fostering partnerships with government officials and local organizations. MTC International Development visited the cities of Cap-Haitien and Port-au-Prince and discussed with public and private organizations such as Haytrac, a Haitian-based construction equipment company, the need for training and the services MTC could provide in the construction and textile industries. MTC International also visited local educational institutions like the University of Henry Christophe to build support for MTC International's goals.
For MTC International and Haiti officials, the experience was positive and has laid the groundwork for upcoming opportunities in Haiti.
October 10, 2011
Members of MTC International visited Haiti in October 2011 to learn more about the need and opportunities available in vocational and technical education. While in country, MTC representatives met with USAID, government officials from Port-au-Prince and Cap-Haitien, managers of TVET schools, potential Haitian partners, and private companies within the construction sector. MTC also visited potential TVET center sites and began considerations for potential training programs. On October 4, MTC held a one-day seminar to identify the workforce needs of Haitian construction firms. According to local construction managers and line workers, this seminar gave them a “first-time ever” opportunity to discuss and determine the current situation and labor demands of the construction sector. MTC will evaluate the information collected and prepare for potential program funding which will be available in early 2012.
