Eight Palestine refugee students from the UNRWA Damascus Training Centre (DTC) showcased their cutting-edge skills and expertise at the Syrian Industrial Exhibition earlier this month.

The Exhibition is an incubator for the four main Syrian industrial sectors. The students attended an UNRWA mechatronics course at DTC, which combined mechanical, electrical, computer and software skills, for the development of smart technologies. UNRWA student inventions include a thermoelectric generator, a composter, and a storage system for wind energy.

“The diversity of projects on display is a testament to the creativity, knowledge, perseverance, and the intellectual magnitude of our students, who thrive amid daunting challenges. They are able to meet the challenges and opportunities in the contemporary industrial world. We are proud of their achievements and look forward to strengthening our partnership with the employers”, said Prafulla Mishra, Deputy Director of UNRWA Affairs, Syria.

“Each year, UNRWA offers vocational and technical courses to Palestine refugees in five centres in Syria to help them get jobs and foster their livelihood opportunities. Sincere congratulations to all our students on successfully participating in this exhibition,” added Mishra.

During the exhibition, the students got an opportunity to demonstrate their skills but established future business relationships with the private sectors. Muhannad Qasem, a DTC student highlighted, “I am happy to participate in the exhibition which provided me with a great opportunity to meet with employers who were impressed with our projects. Using advanced technology and innovative methods, we can meet our customers’ needs faster and enable business to grow.”

The two-day exhibition, organized by the Ministry of Industry of Government of Syria and opened by Minister Ziad Sabaagh, was a unique opportunity to highlight the technical and vocational training courses provided by UNRWA to young Palestine refugees in Syria, and to enhance their experience and career prospects.

The Agency’s vocational training programme enrolls some 8,000 Palestine refugees into skill bases programmes, enabling them to be competitive in their local labour markets.