Egyptian student bridging continents through skills in north China

TIANJIN, Sept. 19 (Xinhua) -- September marks a fresh chapter for Egyptian student Iprahim Maher, as the 21-year-old embarks on a new journey in his academic quest to become both an exceptional craftsman skilled in cutting-edge technology and fluent in Chinese.

As a student in a "3+2" Luban Workshop program, Maher recently arrived at Tianjin University of Technology and Education, situated in the port city of Tianjin in north China, to commence his undergraduate studies.

Under the "3+2" program, Maher spent the past year studying numerical control technology at Tianjin Light Industry Vocational Technical College, following two years of vocational training at the Luban Workshop in Egypt. With his language and skills proficiency meeting the required standards, Maher has now advanced to the next stage of his education, namely a two-year undergraduate course.

The Luban Workshop program, named after an ancient Chinese craftsman, is an international cooperation project focused on vocational training and is mainly supported by Tianjin. This workshop project has been set up in multiple countries and regions as part of China's efforts to share its vocational training expertise.

"Numerical control technology is vital to the IT industry and is widely used in sectors like automotive and construction in Egypt," Maher noted, while emphasizing the promising prospects of this field in his home country.

"The Luban Workshop strikes an excellent balance between theory and practice. We work with real industrial components -- not just teaching models," Maher remarked. He added that this approach has not only deepened his professional knowledge but also inspired him to innovate.

At Tianjin Light Industry Vocational Technical College, the school encourages students to enhance their skills by participating in various professional competitions. With support from his instructors, Maher took part in several contests after arriving in China -- and won a bronze medal at the 2024 World Vocational College Skills Competition.

During this contest, Maher teamed up with a student from Vietnam who was also studying in China. Maher handled the programming while his Vietnamese partner focused on assembly and testing. Despite initial communication barriers, they quickly found effective ways to collaborate and ultimately won the award in the equipment manufacturing category.

Maher said that this experience had bolstered his commitment to a technical career and boosted his confidence.

Maher's journey, notably, reflects not only personal growth but also the broader potential of vocational education and industrial collaboration between China and Egypt.

The Luban Workshop in Egypt has set up an employment training base within the China-Egypt TEDA Suez Economic and Trade Cooperation Zone, located some 50 km south of the Suez Canal -- and has created more job opportunities for students. The cooperation zone, built in 2008, houses an array of companies spanning sectors including new building materials, petroleum equipment, high- and low-voltage gear, and machinery manufacturing.

"New energy vehicle companies in the zone are in urgent need of technical talents familiar with both Chinese equipment and language," said Maher, noting that the training model of the Luban Workshop aligns perfectly with actual demands on the factory floor.

After graduation, Maher hopes to return to Egypt and work as an engineer.

"I want to further promote technical exchanges between China and Egypt and contribute to the development of vocational education in my hometown," he said.