The Applied Scientific Education Center of Jahan Foulad Gharb was inaugurated with the presence of the Deputy Governor for Economic Affairs, the President of the Applied Science University, the Director General of Industry, Mines, and Trade of Kermanshah Province, the Chairman of the Board of Shokri Group, members of the board of directors, and CEOs of subsidiary companies of Shokri Industrial Group. The inauguration took place at the university building located within the Shokri Group.
During the official opening ceremony of the Comprehensive Applied Scientific Education Center of Jahan Foulad Gharb, the Chairman of the Board of Shokri Group highlighted the proximity of academia and industry as one of the objectives pursued through collaborations with various universities in recent years.
According to the public relations office of Shokri Group, Mr.Engineer Jahanbakhsh Shokri stated: “Unfortunately, conditions were not conducive in the past, either universities were not willing to cooperate or students were not interested in utilizing workshops and production units. But today, with the establishment of the Applied Scientific Education Center, a wish I had is finally realized.
He expressed hope that educated students can directly enter the job market, saying: “The path we are currently on is the best path that covers our main goals of training students both theoretically and practically, and integrating them into the job market.
Shokri mentioned that unfortunately, graduates often struggle to enter the job market due to lack of experience and skills, adding: “These facilities have been created in this complex, and we will soon see the results. In the coming years, we will deliver experienced and specialized individuals from this university to society, which will benefit the province and the country.
The Deputy Governor for Economic Affairs of Kermanshah Province also remarked: “Every time we talk about pioneers in Kermanshah, the name Shokri Group comes up.
Abdolvahid Mohammadi added: “We have always sought to bridge the gap between academia and industry, but here we have gone beyond that; academia and industry have become intertwined, shaping the latest generation of universities worldwide based on this model.
He emphasized that this is the first true integration of academia and industry, saying: “The collaboration between university and industry has many blessings that we will see in the future.
Mohammadi emphasized that decision-making in the private sector to establish such academic units is not at all easy. He said, “Shokri Industrial Group has always been pioneers in many initiatives. Now, due to groundbreaking moves like listing on the stock exchange by Shokri Group, most private sectors show interest in such ventures.
The Director General of Industry, Mines, and Trade in Kermanshah province attributed the high unemployment rate in the province to the lack of skills and workforce. He stated, “When major investors like Shokri Group, which are the backbone of the province’s economy, want to advance development projects, they face skilled labor shortages and are forced to recruit primary workforce from outside the province.
Mohsen Darabi emphasized that Shokri Group has once again taken a step forward, bringing this initiative in line with many others they have successfully implemented. He mentioned that some of the students at this university are employees of Shokri Industrial Group and have participated voluntarily, undoubtedly transforming into skilled laborers.
Expressing hope that similar developments will occur in other sectors such as petrochemicals and green fuel expansion, he stated: “I hope that one day the youth of our province will have the tools to achieve positive effects in the future.
The President of the Applied Sciences University of Kermanshah also underscored in this ceremony: “According to recent statistics released by the Iranian Statistical Center, nearly 43% of the country’s unemployed are university graduates, which is a remarkably high figure.
Soleiman Shafiei regarded these statistics as indicative that the employment issue remains unresolved. He stated, “The employment situation is influenced by several variables, one of which is that the main disciplines of universities are not skill-oriented, and secondly, employers and business owners do not have a specific employment plan.
According to him, the index of the Applied Sciences University is skill-oriented, meaning each field is dedicated to a profession, unlike other disciplines that are mostly not career-focused.
The President of the Applied Sciences University of Kermanshah reiterated, “Our goal was to fill the employment gap by establishing a relationship between the university and industry. Therefore, we initially considered the steel industry and, with the cooperation and wisdom of Mr. Shokri, we managed to reconcile the university with the industry.
He emphasized, “Another point we were pursuing was guaranteeing employment, meaning we do not want to provide education without purpose. The keyword ’employment guarantee’ was raised last year, and we have planned 360,000 job opportunities for the next 4 years. In this regard, we have also approached other industries such as automotive, electricity, and petrochemicals.
Shafiei stressed that real employment is implemented in these models, stating, “We have planned for 2,100 individuals for the next 4 years, with the majority in the steel sector.
The CEO of Jahan Foulad Gharb Company stated, “The Applied Sciences University affiliated with Shokri Industrial Group, officially inaugurated today, January 13, has begun its work since the beginning of this semester.
Mostafa Ahmadi Pour pointed out that the gap between university and industry is evident in the experience and expertise of personnel, saying, “Shokri Group, entering the third decade of its activity in the steel sector, has established the university with three goals.
He added, “According to the foresight and future vision of Mr. Shokri, a significant portion of the personnel who brought steel technology to the province will retire soon, which will create a serious gap for us in the next two to three years. Therefore, transferring knowledge and experience from the first generation of engineers in the group to the new generation was the fundamental goal of establishing the university.
The CEO of Jahan Foulad Gharb emphasized the necessity of retraining and empowering personnel, stating, “We decided to define our own needs and determine the expertise required. Based on the criteria we set, we embarked on training our personnel. In this regard, we engaged in negotiations with various universities until we concluded that the Comprehensive Applied Scientific University is closer to our desires and goals.
He also highlighted the university’s role in training and attracting students with the aim of creating employment opportunities for them as the third objective of establishing the university.
Ahmadipour emphasized the start of the university’s activities in the current term, stating, “The university began its work in the first term with three majors, and in collaboration with the university center, for the second term, it will admit students in three other important majors needed by the industry in the province: professional health, industrial drafting, and industrial electricity, starting in Bahman month (late January to late February).
The CEO of Jahan Foulad Gharb further stated, “Establishing a real relationship between the university and the industry through the establishment of the Comprehensive Applied Scientific Education Center of Shokri Industrial Group marks a milestone in the province’s history. We aim to replicate this model across all industries and sectors of the province.
