Apprenticeship in Syria

In Syria, التدرّب المهني refers to a legal apprenticeship in which an employer teaches an occupation through supervised work. The apprenticeship indenture must be written in Arabic in two copies; a parent or guardian signs for a minor. The responsible ministry sets the occupations, age conditions, training stages, duration and progressive remuneration. During the final stage, the apprentice's pay must be at least the minimum wage for the same occupation. Working hours, breaks and leave rules apply, and either side can end the relationship with at least three days' notice. After completion, the employer issues a certificate that the competent directorate and the Ministry authenticate. This arrangement differs from the three-year secondary vocational education pathway. After the Basic Education Certificate or an equivalent qualification, students can enter secondary vocational education under annual ministerial admission rules. The programme covers grades 10 to 12, combines theory with workshops or workplace practice, and ends with national practical and theoretical examinations. It leads to a standardized Vocational Secondary Certificate that supports work and further study, although a separate occupational licence can still be required. Dual education, called التعليم المزدوج, combines a company training contract with attendance at a vocational school. The company participates in the curriculum, practical training and practical examinations. In the 2025–26 school year, documented dual programmes operated in Damascus, Rural Damascus, Aleppo, Homs, Hama and Tartous in mechanical manufacturing, garment making, welding and metal forming, and mechatronics. Selection follows the company contract and considers examination results and available places. These programmes may be designed with direct employment in mind, but completion does not create an automatic right to a job. The main public bodies differ by pathway. The Ministry of Education and its Directorate of Professional and Technical Education manage secondary vocational schools. The Ministry of Economy and Industry operates technical institutes and vocational training complexes, while the Ministry of Public Works and Housing runs periodic craft and vocational courses. The Ministry of Social Affairs and Labour deals with labour-law and employment-policy matters. Employers, Chambers, NGOs and UN-supported programmes also provide dual, short-cycle or non-formal training. Other pathways can be shorter or more flexible. Ministry of Industry programmes commonly last four to nine months and cover areas such as vehicle mechanics, metalwork, electronics, electricity, carpentry and blacksmithing. A Damascus vocational complex accepts women and men aged 15 to 45 without requiring a preparatory or secondary certificate; its annual cycle runs from 15 July to 15 May, can last one academic year with up to nine months of theory and practice, and is free. Its certificate is signed by the Ministry of Industry. Public-works courses use theory and practical examinations, but their duration is not uniform. Technical institutes generally require fees and follow their own registration rules after secondary vocational education; an institute certificate does not itself grant an independent-practice licence where licensing is required. Non-formal programmes include UNICEF-supported youth-friendly spaces and mobile teams for ages 10 to 24. They may teach digital skills, entrepreneurship, employability, mobile repair, accounting, graphics, photography, sewing or hospitality. Some programmes provide accreditation or certificates, but they do not automatically equal the national Vocational Secondary Certificate. Informal learning in a family business or workshop may teach useful skills, yet reliable national data on its coverage, recognition and prevalence is unavailable and it does not automatically produce a formal award. Costs vary by pathway. Public schools generally charge no registration fee apart from items such as a school card or stamps, but a complete technical and vocational education and training fee schedule is not available. Ministry of Industry complexes may be free, technical institutes charge fees, and donor- or UN-funded programmes are often free under programme-specific conditions. Syria has no evidenced universal apprentice stipend; the remuneration rules for a contracted legal apprenticeship remain distinct from financial support for students. Training capacity differs across governorates because conflict, displacement, damaged facilities, obsolete equipment and trainer shortages affect delivery. The 2025–26 system included 801 vocational schools, 58 technical institutes, 22 occupations or specialisations, 59,818 secondary vocational students and 21,774 institute students. Occupations include industrial manufacturing, mechanical production, welding, mechatronics, vehicle mechanics, agricultural machinery, heating and plumbing, refrigeration, furniture, electronics, medical equipment, computer technologies, commerce, beauty and hairdressing. The list can change through ministerial decisions. An ILO assessment of 140 factories in Damascus, Aleppo, Homs and Hama identified skills gaps in food processing, textiles, chemicals, plastics and engineering, which gives practical training particular value for employment and reconstruction. No coherent nationwide adult-first-qualification or prior-learning-equivalence pathway has been evidenced; later entry mainly uses short ministry courses, employer apprenticeships or NGO and UN programmes, with certificate value depending on the issuing provider.