'Plan in place to secure 5,000 jobs for residents of remote areas'

AMMAN — The Labour Ministry on Sunday announced "a new approach" to create 5,000 job opportunities for Jordanians in remote areas.

The jobs will be created through plans for 15 new projects funded by the Employment-Technical and Vocational Education Training Fund (E-TVET), a statement quoted Labour Minister Nidal Katamine as saying.

Katamine said the projects will target local communities in remote areas including Wadi Araba, Deir Alla, Southern Ghor, Tafileh, Maan, Karak, Rweished, Aqaba, Jerash and Ajloun.

The minister said the projects will provide around 14 rehabilitation and care centres, affiliated with the Social Development Ministry, with hundreds of capable human resources from their areas to serve people with disabilities and their families.

He added that the plan also entails funding small- and medium-sized enterprises — such as beauty salons, gyms and kindergartens — affiliated  with these centres to help them generate their income in the future to create more jobs. 

There are also plans to hire unemployed people in the private sector in Aqaba, Zarqa and Amman, providing them with jobs and incentives that allow them a decent living, as part of their salaries will be paid by E-TVET for two years, until they are qualified to assume certain jobs. 

The ministry statement quoted Katamine as saying that there are "very little" opportunities for Jordanians living in remote areas because of the lack of industrial investments and expertise in vocational and technical fields.

He added that residents cannot work far away due to expensive commutes to the capital and living expenses.