Minister of Social Affairs and Labor Mukhtar Al-Yafei today reviewed the Engineering Professional Qualification Program, which aims to qualify graduates and young engineers, develop their technical, managerial, and practical skills, and bridge the gap between academic knowledge and the requirements of professional practice, thereby enhancing their readiness to enter the labor market.

The minister’s review came during a meeting with Eng. Maram Aboud, Director of Maram Aboud Engineering and Construction Office and Director of the Engineering Professional Qualification Program, at the ministry’s headquarters in the capital, Aden. Eng. Aboud presented the program’s components and stages, as well as the experience of its first cohort. She explained that the program includes training designed to simulate the working environment of engineering offices, practical projects, technical reviews, and field visits, in addition to engaging specialized companies to facilitate the transfer of expertise and connect trainees with real-world professional practices.

Minister Al-Yafei praised the program’s concept and its approach of combining theoretical qualification with practical experience. He stressed the importance of supporting high-quality initiatives that invest in young people’s potential and equip them with skills aligned with labor market needs, expanding their employment and self-employment opportunities, and contributing to the development of professional cadres capable of competing and delivering results.

Minister Al-Yafei further affirmed that the ministry places particular emphasis on the labor sector as part of its vision for its development, through modernizing the mechanisms and tools used to regulate the labor market in line with emerging professional trends and patterns, expanding partnerships with the private sector, and aligning training and employment programs with actual market needs. Such efforts, he noted, would contribute to building a more organized and efficient labor market and making optimal use of national capabilities.

For her part, Eng. Maram Aboud expressed her appreciation for the ministry’s interest in professional qualification programs and youth initiatives. She explained that the program seeks to transition trainees from the academic stage to a comprehensive professional experience that connects them with the requirements of the workplace and specialized companies. She also expressed her hope that the ministry would provide support that helps expand training and employment opportunities for young people and strengthen the link between professional qualification and labor market needs.