Chinese workshop in Cairo helps students put skills into practice

CAIRO－An engineering professor was taking a group of students on a tour inside a spacious vocational training center, the Luban Workshop, at Cairo-based Ain Shams University, introducing its courses to them.

In cooperation with China's Tianjin Light Industry Vocational Technical College, Tianjin Transportation Technical College and Egypt's Ain Shams University, the Luban Workshop was set up to provide vocational training for Egyptian youth and prepare them for the labor market.

Opened in late November 2020, the workshop covers an area of around 1,200 square meters and is divided into three training sections. The total cost of the workshop's equipment is 9.35 million yuan ($1.45 million).

The first section is designed for training students on computer numerical control equipment application and maintenance, the second is designated for new energy application technology and the third covers automobile application and maintenance technology.

Motivated by the successful experiences of such workshops in China, Ain Shams University President Mahmoud al-Metini welcomed the idea of establishing the Luban Workshop, showing his gratitude for the contribution of colleges in Tianjin.

In the workshop, a white SUV car stood at one corner of the section for training on automobile maintenance technology, while the workshop director showed the students a showcase at another corner next to a large screen featuring parts of a vehicle and how they function.

He then took the students to the new energy section and showed them a solar energy production unit and demonstrated how it works.

Mohamed Ahmed Awad, executive director of Luban Workshop, says that it reopened a month ago after being closed as a precautionary measure to contain the spread of COVID-19.

It has already provided two complete training courses and is currently in the midst of running its third, the professor says, adding that at least 20 more students will join the workshop within a few days.

"Luban Workshop boosts the practical experience of students and gives them the opportunity to apply theoretical knowledge. This is a huge step in the development of education, especially for students of engineering," Awad says.

He also spoke of future plans to make the workshop an independent college with a dual Egyptian-Chinese degree given to graduates.

Ibrahim Abdel Ghaffar, a 22-year-old student at the Faculty of Engineering, has been receiving training at Luban Workshop for two weeks. He commended the specialized training programs and the well-equipped labs provided by the workshop.

"Through the training program at the workshop, I was able to practically apply what I had learned in the faculty," he says.

"The Luban Workshop project is a success story between Egyptian and Chinese universities," says Omar Mohamed el-Husseiny, dean of the Faculty of Engineering.

"It will boost the skills of the students and assist in their future interactions with the labor market," says the dean, pointing out that "practical training is much more important than theoretical training, especially in engineering fields".

Xinhua