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Ammon News - The Al Hussein Technical University (HTU), and Sahara Forest Project graduated the second Cohort of their joint upskilling programme entitled "Agricultural Technology and Food Security."

The event was attended by the Norwegian Ambassador to Jordan and Iraq Espen Lindbaeck, Sahara Forest Project Managing Director and Head of Board Kjetil Stake in addition to University President Professor Ismael Hinti, director of the career development and community engagement office at the University Alaa Abdalla, as well as a number of experts and mentors in the field of agriculture and sustainability.

The training program is a translation of a memorandum of understanding signed by HTU and the Sahara Forest Project, which called for the training of Jordanian agricultural engineering graduates and equipping them with the most up-to-date skills and techniques in energy, agriculture, and sustainability.

The first cohort graduated in February, followed by the second cohort, which included 17 Jordanian agricultural engineers from Jordanian universities to prepare them for the labour market, where the trainees received practical training from local and international experts in the fields of agricultural technology, renewable energy, agricultural economy, and sustainability. The provided courses were designed and taught in accordance with the labor market's needs.

The four-month program included field trips for trainees for the Sahara Forest project in Aqaba province, as well as site visits to Jordanian government renewable and agricultural energy projects, which provided them with hands-on experience and opportunities to develop their technical skills.

During his speech at the ceremony, Dr. Al Hinti, President of the University, confirmed the Norwegian Embassy and the ministry of Water continuous support, emphasizing the compatibility of visions in supporting Jordanian youth and providing them with the skills needed to enter the labour market, especially since the university seeks to increase the efficiency of its students and Jordanian universities graduates trained in the upskilling programs to qualify for local and international demands.

According to Ambassador Espen Lindbaeck, the embassy supported the project to empower female in the fields of energy, agriculture, and sustainability. His Excellency expressed his happiness at the students' successful completion of the training, emphasizing that all parties involved in the program seek to develop and sustain the efforts made in integrating academic education with technology in the field of food security and agricultural technology.

Mr. Stake praised the program implemented in collaboration with Al Hussein Technical University, especially in the training of young Jordanian women in these disciplines, this came as an affirmation of what was stated towards the advancement in the fields of agriculture, energy, and water, and the applied partnership in this field.

The Sahara Forest project, funded by the Norwegian government and the private partners, serves as a model for future projects in the Aqaba region, as well as projects that adhere to the concepts of sustainable and green development and comprehensively achieve the concepts of water, food, and energy security.

Al Hussein Technical University is Jordan's newest technical university, with the mission of providing high-quality technical education, including a bachelor's degree and an intermediate technical degree in engineering and computer sciences, as well as enhancing the fundamental skills and applied disciplines needed in the labour market.