Industry, Academia, and Government Agencies Join Forces to Expand Skills-Based Education, Empower the Workforce, and Promote Sustainable Employment
A specialized consultation and coordination meeting was held at the Shokri Industrial Group’s conference hall, hosted by the Jahan Foulad Gharb University of Applied Science and Technology, with the aim of expanding educational cooperation, improving student recruitment for the Fall 2026 semester, and strengthening skills-based education.
The meeting brought together senior officials and representatives from the industrial, educational, and municipal sectors to foster effective cooperation between industry, academia, and government institutions; expand vocational and skills-based training; empower human resources; facilitate graduate employment; promote entrepreneurship; and address the educational and workforce needs of industries and organizations across Kermanshah Province.
he meeting was attended by Ehsan Bagherkhani, Head of the Kermanshah Province Industry, Mining and Trade Organization; Dr. Ali Malekshahi, CEO of the Kermanshah Industrial Estates Company; Dr. Jalali, Acting Director of the Kermanshah Municipality’s Cultural, Social and Sports Organization; Mehdi Tahmasbifard, Secretary-General of the Kermanshah Province House of Industry, Mining and Trade; Karimi, Head of the Cultural Affairs Department of the Kermanshah Municipality’s Cultural, Social and Sports Organization; Dr. Shafiei, Head of the University of Applied Science and Technology centers in Kermanshah Province; Dr. Heydari, Acting Director of the Jahan Foulad Gharb University of Applied Science and Technology; as well as a number of other industrial managers and officials.
At the beginning of the meeting, Jahanbakhsh Shokri, Chairman of the Board of the Shokri Industrial Group, welcomed the participants and emphasized the importance of education in sustainable industrial development. He stated that industries today, more than ever, need skilled, capable, and well-trained professionals to maintain competitiveness and improve productivity.
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Ehsan Bagherkhani, Head of the Kermanshah Province Industry, Mining and Trade Organization, highlighted the extensive industrial capacity of the province, noting that a significant number of operating licenses are issued to industrial units every year. He emphasized that specialized and short-term training programs tailored to the needs of these companies could play an important role in improving workforce skills and increasing industrial productivity.
He also stressed the importance of closer cooperation between industry and academia and described the use of the Jahan Foulad Gharb University’s capabilities to organize such training programs as an effective way to address the educational needs of the province’s industrial sector.
In another part of the meeting, Dr. Heydari, Acting Director of the Jahan Foulad Gharb University of Applied Science and Technology, outlined the University’s educational, research, and innovation capabilities.
Referring to the Innovation Office established within the Shokri Industrial Group, she explained that industrial ideas and projects are evaluated and receive specialized consulting before being supported through the group’s industrial capabilities and the resources of the provincial Science and Technology Park. This support continues through the development of prototypes, commercialization, and the signing of industrial contracts. Dr. Heydari also highlighted the activities of the University’s Career Counseling and Employment Office, noting that, in addition to providing employment services to students and job seekers, the office works closely with the Provincial Department of Cooperatives, Labour and Social Welfare and employment platforms to introduce job opportunities and organize specialized employment-focused meetings. She further stated that the Jahan Foulad Gharb University of Applied Science and Technology accepts students at both Associate and Bachelor’s degree levels and, under authorization from Iran’s Ministry of Science, Research and Technology, is prepared to design and deliver specialized short-term training programs based on the needs of government agencies, industries, and organizations. Participants who successfully complete these programs will receive recognized certificates of completion
Dr. Ali Malekshahi, CEO of the Kermanshah Industrial Estates Company, expressed his appreciation for the University’s educational and skills-training capabilities and described it as an appropriate platform for enhancing the specialized knowledge and skills of the province’s industrial workforce.
He also announced the Industrial Estates Company’s readiness to expand joint cooperation with the Jahan Foulad Gharb University in designing and delivering specialized training programs, empowering employees of industrial units, improving occupational skills, and implementing training initiatives tailored to industrial needs. He described such cooperation as an important step toward advancing the province’s industrial development.
In the same context, Dr. Shafiei, Head of the University of Applied Science and Technology centers in Kermanshah Province, described the Jahan Foulad Gharb University as one of the province’s valuable assets with the potential to become a specialized industrial education hub.
He emphasized that the skills requirements of industries should be identified through cooperation with the Industry, Mining and Trade Organization and the Industrial Estates Company so that training programs can be designed and delivered precisely according to the real needs of the labor market. Dr. Shafiei added that one of the primary missions of University of Applied Science and Technology centers is to empower human capital, train specialized professionals, and address shortages of skilled workers in industry. He noted that these centers can play a significant role in increasing employment, improving productivity, and supporting the province’s economic development.
At the conclusion of the meeting, participants emphasized expanding cooperation among industry, academia, and government agencies, broadening skills-based education, strengthening engagement with manufacturing companies, improving graduate employment, and making full use of the capabilities of the Jahan Foulad Gharb University of Applied Science and Technology as one of the province’s specialized centers for applied and industry-oriented education.
