One month after the government’s decision to allow Syrian refugees to obtain work permits, the Zaatari Office for Employment is scheduled to organise its first job fair at the Zaatari refugee camp on Wednesday (October 4th), The Jordan Times reported Tuesday.
Inaugurated by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and the UNHCR on August 21st, the Zaatari Office for Employment is the first ever employment office inside a Syrian refugee camp in Jordan.
It aims to facilitate access to formal work opportunities for residents of the camp by helping them register their work permits, according to an ILO statement.
"This job fair represents a unique opportunity for both employers and Syrian job seekers to be linked directly with one another," UNHCR External Relations Officer Marwa Hashem said.
"It will provide both sides with a better understanding of what is expected on the supply and demand sides of the Jordanian labour market," he said.
Over 50 local and international companies representing the industrial, agricultural and construction sectors, among others, will be represented at the job fair, which is organised by the Zaatari Office for Employment in collaboration with UNHCR, the ILO, the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) and the government’s Syrian Refugee Affairs Directorate.
"Ultimately, we aim to help Syrian refugees to live in dignity and be self-reliant," said Hashem.
"Some of these people have not been working for several years and this job fair will hopefully help them gain employment, gain experience that will also be useful for their future."
"We are seeking to bring over 1,000 job vacancies and training opportunities to Zaatari camp residents," he said.
The Zaatari Office for Employment is the first of a wider network of employment offices the ILO and the Ministry of Labour plan to set up to provide employment services for local Jordanians and Syrian refugees, according to an ILO statement.
