Batumi, Georgia: US Ambassador to Georgia, Robin L. Dunnigan, joined by the Georgian government and private sector representatives, inaugurated a new public-private partnership to create two new training centres in Batumi and Poti to address the skills gap in the labour market.
The USAID Industry-led Skills Development Program supports the partnership. This five-year initiative aims to partner with the private sector to produce industry-relevant human capital that will contribute to high-value employment opportunities and increased economic competitiveness in Georgia.
The partnership involves Tegeta Holding, a leading company in the automotive, construction, transportation, and logistics sectors, and its partner, Transford, a vocational education and training provider. Together, they will expand Tegeta Academy, a training centre that offers various technical and soft skills courses, to Batumi and Poti, two strategic locations in the Georgian economy.
The new branches of Tegeta Academy will train more than 300 specialists in the first year, helping them to improve their qualifications and employability in these regions. The training programs will also benefit hundreds of more individuals in the coming years, as the academy plans to offer more courses and reach more potential trainees.
The partnership also aims to increase the access and inclusion of rural and priority populations, such as women, youth, and ethnic minorities, to the training opportunities. The partnership will provide scholarships, transportation, accommodation, and mentoring support to the trainees who face barriers to participating in the training programs.
USAID’s partnership with Tegeta Motors is one of the many examples of USAID’s successful collaboration with the private sector in Georgia. Through these partnerships, USAID provides young people throughout Georgia with opportunities to access high-paying employment that benefits more workers, families, and communities.
Ambassador Dunnigan praised the partnership as a model of cooperation between the public and private sectors to foster economic growth and development in Georgia. She also emphasized the importance of skills development for the future of work and the competitiveness of the Georgian economy.
The launch event was attended by the Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sport of Georgia, Mikheil Chkhenkeli, the Deputy Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development of Georgia, Genadi Arveladze, the Mayor of Batumi, Lasha Komakhidze, the Director of USAID/Georgia, Peter Wiebler, the CEO of Tegeta Holding, Giorgi Mshvildadze, and other representatives of the government, private sector, civil society, and media.
The event also featured a tour of the new training centre in Batumi, where the guests could observe the training facilities and equipment and interact with the trainers and trainees.
