HTU: Creating opportunities for the young people

One year after it was launched, Al Hussein Technical University (HTU) has shown its commitment to tackling problems facing young Jordanians, with unemployment at the forefront. The university strives to be an exceptional role model of a Jordanian university by offering quality technical and applied education and dedicating its efforts towards supporting the national development goals.

HTU was established as an initiative by His Royal Highness Crown Prince Al Hussein, which shows his commitment to empowering young Jordanians. The university falls under the umbrella of the Crown Prince Foundation as a private non-profit university.

The university’s mission is in line with the National Strategy for Human Resources, which calls for both national efforts towards encouraging technical and vocational training and for making a quantum leap in education policies to better serve the national development goals.

Since it was launched, HTU has shown its commitment to creating a unique modern model, drawing on both international experiences in applied and technical education and the Jordanian experience in vocational training. This model also aims at helping Jordan overcome its current economic and social challenges. 

Out of its belief that unemployment is the greatest challenge the country is facing, HTU is dedicated to producing Jordanian graduates qualified for the industrial and manufacturing sectors, supporting entrepreneurship and innovation and empowering them to set up their own small businesses and start-ups.

By focusing on applied and technical education, HTU aims at equipping its graduates with the necessary skills and knowledge to prepare them for the labour market. Instead of relying on traditional methods, HTU’s approach relies on augmenting the theoretical aspect of learning with practice, by offering the students an opportunity of a hands-on experience at the university’s specialised labs in the fields of engineering and computer science. In addition, students are required to do a year-long internship in their fields. The university offers courses on soft life skills to equip its graduates with communication and leadership skills required to succeed.

HTU also targets unemployed young graduates in telecommunication, energy and computer engineering, with a skills-development programme to revive their skills. The four-month-long programme offers participants an opportunity for a hands-on application of technical skills related to their field, as well as the chance to improve their English and life skills. 

Last year, the university implemented four skills-development programmes, in cooperation with leading national and international companies, targeting unemployed graduates such as a training programme on G4 in cooperation with Huawei, operating and maintaining solar energy systems in cooperation with Firas Balasmah Corporation for Renewable Energy, information technology with Cisco Estarta and a training on technical support for airports in cooperation with SITA. 

By participating in these training programmes, young people did not only build their skills, but were also able to network and secure jobs with leading national and international companies. 

In order to foster an environment of innovation and creativity, the university established the Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurial Excellence. The centre offers a platform for students to interact with and learn from start-ups and small businesses. The centre also facilitates strong partnerships between the university and representatives from different sectors nationally and internationally.

In addition, the university provides incubators on campus for approximately 15 emerging and start-up projects that were created by young Jordanians in the fields of technology, geometric design, solar energy, environmental behaviour, healthcare and artificial intelligence.

HTU’s first Innovation and Entrepreneurship Bootcamp hosted 20 young Jordanians who have ideas and ambitions to start their own projects. The five-week programme is designed to build young entrepreneurs’ skills and capacities to start their own companies and emerging projects in technology and manufacturing.

There is no doubt that these initiatives and efforts led by HTU contribute to qualifying young Jordanians to compete for available jobs nationally, regionally and internationally. They are also creating a new generation of proactive young people who will not wait for the government to create jobs. Instead, young Jordanians will have the skills to compete for jobs in the private sector and to enter the labour market through their own self-initiated businesses and projects. 

HTU makes a great role model to be followed nationally. Such a model can only be achieved through effective partnership between the private and public sectors, and strong cooperation between formal institutions and civil society organisations to promote a culture of creating opportunities instead of waiting for them to happen.

The writer is associate professor, Faculty of Social and Basic Sciences at Al Hussein Technical University