By Callum Paton.
Tripoli, 6 May 2014:
Fourteen certified Libyan Toyota mechanical trainees graduated on Saturday at a ceremony in Misrata, the home . . .[restrict]of Toyota Libya. The celebration marked the end of a three-month course in mechanical training at the company’s state-of-the-art facilities in the Misrata Free Trade Zone.
The Discover Your Talent programme which began in November 2012 has trained 35 mechanics from across the country in a combined course of general maintenance, administrative skills and English language.
Gota Iwanami, Managing Director and CEO of Toyota Libya, told the graduating students that they had to prepare themselves as “pioneers in Libyan society”. He said in an address to some 100 local dignitaries, Toyota employees, graduates and their families at the ceremony that while learning was important “to implement what you have learnt, that is the key”. He added that to fulfil their potential the newly graduated trainees would have to show determination, hard work and dedication.
While the ceremony focused on the individual achievements of the trainees, there was also a great deal of emphasis on the promise the training scheme held for the country and the work of Toyota in Libya. A representative from the Misrata High Technical Institute, Jamal Abu Kattala , said the course was crucial to developing the future skills of Libyan technicians and added that the presence of Toyota in Misrata and in the Misrata Free Trade Zone was “a landmark achievement between Japan and Libya”.
He said Toyota had accepted the challenge of working in the country despite security problems and that this “would not be forgotten for many years”. Kattala added that the world looked with “wide eyes and admiration at Japan,” as an innovator in technology and there was much Libya could learn from the country.
Deputy Manager, Corporate Division, for Toyota Libya Abdurahiem Muftah told the Libya Herald that with the new generation of vehicles and their electronic technology, while basic skills were still crucial, the kind of further skills Toyota Libya could offer were also necessary. He said the company was committed to developing Human Resources in Libya and as such the sudents had been provided with meals, onsite accommodation and a salary. Muftah added that the final certificate prepares graduates to work in one of five Toyota Libya dealerships, if they chose, and the very best had the opportunity to train in Tokyo.
One of the trainees, Magdi Hassan, said he had been overwhelmed by the quality of the course and facilities. He said he had been most attracted to the course by its English programme and added that he now hoped to go on to do a masters degree in engineering and hoped to work with Toyota in the future.
The ceremony marked not only the end of one course but the beginning of an other. New trainees also attended the graduation to see what they were working for. An instructor at the Kadoush Technical Institute in Zliten, Abdul Sameah Ali Kalil, had brought some of his students to begin the new course. He thought the training at Toyota Libya was world class and would benefit them greatly. He added that with companies such as Toyota coming to Misrata and opening dealerships in Benghazi, Misrata and Tripoli hopefully this meant a generation of Libyan mechanics would have work but also significant opportunities for training.
Also in attendance at the graduation was Labour Minister Mohammed Sualim, Deputy Head of Misrtata Local Council Ahmed Juha, Chairman of Misrata Free Trade Zone Elhusain Benhmida and Beni Walid Shoura Council member Jamal Moutalib.
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