The first edition of the YEP MED graduation ceremony of Lebanese trainees took place at Beirut chamber of commerce on July 7^th.  33 graduated students obtained the YEP MED Port Logistics Training certificate delivered by Beirut Chamber and ESCOLA Barcelona. On that occasion, The Chamber calls on maritime and logistics companies to recruit the trained graduates for either internships or jobs opportunities and thus benefiting from the project subgrant scheme that would support both the companies and the students.

In her welcome note, the executive manager of the YEP MED project, Hana Nehme revealed that the first edition of YEP MED port logistics training program attracted a large number of students’ applications from all the Lebanese regions, exceeding thus the Chamber expectations. “YEP MED training programs will continue to enroll young students for the upcoming sessions during the life time of the project up till 2023 in order to upscale technical and digital blue skills of Lebanese young men and women in port logistics sector”.

YEP MED project is financed by the European Union and involves key ports and maritime training institutes from 7 Mediterranean countries including Lebanon which is represented by the Chamber of Beirut and Mount-Lebanon. “This diploma is not the last stage of the trainee’s journey. The Chamber will shortly launch the apprenticeship program in collaboration with the Lebanese logistics companies to facilitate access of Lebanese young graduates to either internship programs or job opportunities”, she added. “The importance of this diploma relies on being delivered by the largest business organization in Lebanon, namely the Beirut Chamber of commerce, and by ESCOLA, the training institute of the Port of Barcelona, one of the most important and dynamic ports on the Mediterranean shore”.

Support program to the private sector and Lebanese Youth

In his keynote, the Director General of the Chamber, Rabih Sabra, congratulate the graduates. “We are all gathered today to celebrate your graduation ceremony. This is a very important opportunity for the Chamber of Beirut and Mount Lebanon, which for a long time has been implementing various development projects to support the private sector in order to increase the jobs opportunities for young people. The YEP MED program is one of those projects that we are triggering to give you the opportunity to participate in a unique pioneer training program in Lebanon covering a very important and promising business arena, namely the port logistics and maritime sector. Indeed, port and maritime logistics educational programs are not formally covered so far by academic and TVET diplomas in Lebanon”, regretted Rabih Sabra. He added: “However, this logistics field is one of the key gears of the maritime sector in Mediterranean countries.  As such, Lebanon and the Port of Beirut backed by its strategic location in the region, plays an important role on the economy and trade scenery in the country."

“Today's ceremony is a glimmer of hope despite all the darkness that Lebanon is going through and especially after the explosion of the Port of Beirut and its dramatic consequences; that’s why we must look at these crises as opportunities and the program of YEP MED training is one of those opportunities that allow young Lebanese women and men to develop new skills and enter the workforce. The training you have enrolled, in particular that of the simulation digital platform ERP in collaboration with other partner countries of the project such as Spain, Italy and Tunisia, has been extremely innovative and granted you hands-on the practical logistics and smart port operations” he continued.

Finally, Rabih Sabra thanked the trainers and experts who delivered and followed up on the implementation of the vocational training courses VT2 VT3, particularly Imad Wakim, Rami Semaan and the technical manager, Dory Abou Saab, who with their expertise accompanied successfully all stages of this innovative training.

Escola Europea-Intermodal Transport of Barcelona Port

 “You are the first promotion of the YEP MED project (..) and you faced many challenges during the last year. You must fight for yourselves, your families and for your society” said, Director of Escola Europea-Intermodal Transport of Barcelona Port, the Leader of the project Eduard Rodés via Zoom.

This YEP MED training has been a course of teamwork on an international framework that brought together students from the two shores of Mediterranean (…) I want to thank everyone, the teachers, mentors, and the Chamber team for a fantastic job”, he added.

“Starting a project is not easy and with the team work we have all succeed. The project continues and now we have to continue working to see the complicity of the companies in the ports logistic community to create quality jobs giving more people access to develop these internationals market to continue to improve the economy of the region of the Mediterranean. In the name of the Escola-partners of the YEP MED project, to everyone who receives their diploma today our best wishes for success in the future” concluded Eduard Rodés.

148 students joined the first YEP MED fully digital international training in Barcelona, Tunis, Civitavecchia and Beirut

The first fully digital international training of the YEP MED (Youth Employment in the Ports of the Mediterranean) project was kicked-off on May over two consecutive weeks in four different port communities: Barcelona, Tunis, Civitavecchia and Beirut. Each port community was in charge of practicing the port logistics operations within a simulated freight forwarding operator ERP and execute international trade operations between the participating countries. The upcoming stage will focus on placing the graduates on internships or jobs inside the Lebanese logistics companies through a subgrant scheme to support both the companies and the students.