Afghanistan Technical Vocational Institute Honors its Second Class of Graduates with a Graduation Ceremony and Career Fair

KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – On May 27, 2009, Afghanistan Technical and Vocational Institute (ATVI) (www.atvi.edu.af) held its second annual graduation ceremony and career fair for nearly 826 students now fully-prepared to join the local workforce as semi-professional and mid-management level technicians. In addition to ATVI President, Ambassador Sardar Roshan, ATVI faculty, staff, students and their families, the ceremony was honored by the presence of Their Excellencies, Dr. Farooq Wardak, Afghan Minister of Education and Dr. Husn Banu Ghazanfar, Afghan Minister of Women's Affairs, Their Excellencies, Mr. Salim Qayum, Deputy Minister of Education and Nageeba Shareef, Deputy Minister of Women's Affairs, Mr. Naeem Yasin, President of the Afghan Builder's Association, and United States Ambassador, His Excellency, Mr. Karl Eikenberry, government and business leaders from the local and international communities and other distinguished guests.

Since its inception in 2006, ATVI has been the largest vocational school in Afghanistan. Its training prepares graduates for employment in sectors of Afghan society where there is a critical shortfall of skilled labor such as construction, agriculture/horticulture, information and communications technology, and automotive systems technology. "These fields of study are based on the needs of the local job market and are essential to fill the shortage of skills necessary to build a strong economic infrastructure in Afghanistan," said Mr. A. Huda Farouki, founding member of the Afghan Education Fund, a non-profit DC-based organization, which owns ATVI.

During his speech, Ambassador Sadar Roshan stated that "the vision of ATVI is to provide the same quality and excellence in education as a world-class, internationally-accredited institute, offering the same opportunity to students throughout the country. Our desire is to establish a campus of excellence…" Most notably, since 2008, female enrollment in ATVI's vocational program increased from 11% in its first class to nearly 30% in the 2009 class and is anticipated to reach 50% by 2011. Ambassador Roshan emphasized that the dramatic increase in women's participation in ATVI's education programs is a further testament to the strong family and community support, which is unique to the ATVI model.

ATVI has a clear commitment to providing students the opportunity to experience and train for their chosen career in a real-world environment. In keeping with the mission, following the graduation ceremony, ATVI held its second annual career fair, which included local business leaders promoting their business and interviewing graduates for available job opportunities. The career fair bridged the skills of talented graduates entering the local workforce with potential employers seeking talent by conducting on-site interviews and immediate job placement opportunities.

"ATVI's commitment to providing intensive training and local employment opportunities to graduates, will not only offer benefits to the students themselves, but their families and individual communities. This will provide long-term stability and progress to the Afghan society as a whole," stated Mr. Farouki.

About ATVI

ATVI (www.atvi.edu.af) is a co-educational facility in Kabul, Afghanistan, where students are competitively selected through an examination process for the one-year condensed course. ATVI provides training for male and female students, drawn from Kabul, other major cities, and the rural areas. As a co-educational institution designed to support and educate all potentially productive members of Afghan society, ATVI strives to maintain a minimum threshold of 10% female enrollment. Courses are offered in our key training sectors: Automotive Systems Technology, Information and Communications Technology (ICT), Building and Construction Trades, and Horticulture. ATVI faculty and staff are highly qualified; all hold international educations, degrees, and certifications. More than half of the faculty members hold a Master’s degree or higher.

In order to build a self-sufficient, income generating institute, ATVI incorporates profit centers as a major component of its operations. These profit centers benefit the Institute, the local community, and the student as they provide the hands-on experience needed to compound and complement the education provided in the classroom. Designed to be mutually beneficial, the profit centers offer students the opportunity to experience and train for their chosen career in a real-life environment, the local community purchasing the service is charged a competitive and affordable fee, and the provided revenue is used to maintain scholarship programs and facility upkeep.

About Afghan Education Fund

The Afghan Education Fund is the parent company of the Afghanistan Technical and Vocational Institute (ATVI). Founded in 2007, it is a DC-based, non-profit organization, which provides financial assistance, through scholarships and grants, to charity-based and educational programs throughout Afghanistan.

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