Last week, witnessed Education Minister Tarek Shawki inaugurate Sewedy Technical Academy (STA) for technical education. Ahmed al-Sewedy, an engineer, owner of Sewedy Electric company and founder of the Academy; and Khaled Saeed, Governor of Sharqiya and 10th of Ramadan, attended the inauguration.
In 2011, Sewedy Electric and the Ministry of Education signed an initiative to launch Sewedy Technical School. The initiative aimed to improve technical education and training in order to attain a closer relation between technical schooling and the professional work force, by providing an enhanced educational programme that focuses on training students and developing their skills in a real work environment.
Based on the success of the technical school, Sewedy Electric looked to extend the concept beyond the local market and support the region as a whole; under the name of Sewedy Technical Academy, STA.
STA launched its first academy in September 2016, hosting 400 students. It is planning to acquire the Quality Management Certificate ISO 29990. ISO 29990 is an international standard for training providers. This standard is intended to assure that the performance of the educational programme is meeting the international standards.
Learning at STA is based on a full scholarship programme. Students are provided with uniform, learning material, electronic learning devices, transportation and on-job training during their three-year-course of study, in addition to financial support in the form of monthly stipend.
Sewedy said in a statement he issued that the Academy mainly aims to develop the skills of the Egyptian worker who is the capable factor behind developing a product. He said the Academy was supervised by a German team specialised in technical education, and assisted by an Egyptian team that aspires to acquire skill and experience from the Germans, to independently manage the training in the future.
“We are in process of investing in technical education in order to have technicians of the highest technical standards.” said General Khaled Saeed.
Finally, Dr Tarek Shawki said: “We are proud of the Academy teachers for their significant experience and skills.” He said he hoped to see more enrolment in STA, especially given the rapid growth in the electric industry, and he invited all companies to participate in the mission of developing technical education in Egypt.
Watani International
12 February 2018