Courtesy Photo | Col. Ben James, deputy commander of Combined Team Uruzgan, congratulates a graduate of...... read more read more
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ARIN KOWT, Afghanistan - Much like the scene on a New York City block, local tradesmen took to instruments and dance in a celebration today, marking another graduation from the Tarin Kowt Trade School.
Eight young and eager Afghan men graduated from the TTS at
Multi-National-Base Tarin Kowt, adding to the growing number of skilled tradesmen in the community.
What began in 2006, as a tent-city school established to give local men a set of skills to take into their communities, has now become a means for growth in Tarin Kowt.
With each new class, buildings were built on site to not only create a more productive teaching environment, but also giving that class the hands-on training needed to become proficient in their skills.
"Not only have we added on to the trade school with each class, but also to the team of instructors," said Lance Cpl. Warren Stevens, Australian army coordinator for the school.
One challenge in keeping students in the 124-day course can be competing job opportunities in the government sector, education, and opportunities in the trades they may have already learned.
"We had two students leave this last class after having learned the masonry module," said Stevens. "They were able to gain employment with a local company doing block work."
Although the attrition rate does remain somewhat high, the trainers are okay with students leaving due to obligations such as education or employment.
"A gainfully employed man keeps them out of the insurgency," said
Stevens.
During the course, students are taught the following modules: general carpentry, roofing and framing, plumbing, masonry, and tiling and painting, giving the students a broad set of skills that can benefit any potential employer.
For local contractors, hiring the graduates also benefits them in
gaining additional business.
"When submitting bids for work, the contractors have a section on the bid where they are asked if any TTS graduates work for their company," said Stevens." This gives the local contractor a preference over those not employing the men."
Col. Ben James, deputy commander of Combined Team Uruzgan, was on hand to talk to graduates and present their certificates of completion.
"You are all a key part of improving the living conditions of Tarin
Kowt," said James. "You now have a chance to make a change in your communities."
In addition to the skills gained throughout the course, the students
also learn basic math skills and measuring techniques.
The Afghan instructors, all former graduates of the course, are given additional training in language, math, workshop management, basic technical drawing, and course outline planning, adding to their skill sets.
| Date Taken: | 04.19.2012 |
| Date Posted: | 04.21.2012 06:30 |
| Story ID: | 87119 |
| Location: | TARIN KOWT, AF |
| Web Views: | 56 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Gaining a future in Uruzgan, by MAJ Lawrence Carmack, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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