المحتوى متاح باللغة الإنجليزية

In 2020, eleven partners from seven countries bordering the Mediterranean have joined with a common objective to train young people with skills adjusted to the current market in port-logistic communities operating in the new Blue Economy. The partners in the project will focus on the peripheral regions of the Mediterranean, with the aim of promoting social inclusion and fight against poverty in both the northern and southern shores of the Mediterranean sea.

These actions will be carried out within the framework of a new European project titled YEP MED (Young Employment in Ports of the Mediterranean) co-financed by the European Union under the ENI CBC Med programme. The project, which will receive close to 3,000,000 euros of funds for its development, will work towards a better preparation of skills required by the port-logistics labour market - a sector with a high growth potential – through innovative vocational and occupational training. 

YEP MED was officially launched in October 2020, during a two day virtual conference divided into an open conference call with panellists including Jean-Pierre Halkin from European Commission’s DG REGIO, Vincent Ernoux and Fabrizio Paloni from the ENI CBC Med Programme, as well as presidents and directors from the project partners including Mercè Conesa from the Port of Barcelona, Francesco Maria di Majo representing the Ports of Rome, Antonio Torregrosa from the Port of Valencia, Basharabu Rumman from the Aqaba Development Corporation, Philippe Guillaumet from the Port of Marseille, Bassem Kaissi from the Port of Beirut, Rabih Sabra, from the Chamber of Commerce of Beirut and Mount Lebanon, and Jobrane Ben Mansour from the The Office of the Merchant Marine and Ports (OMMP) in Tunis. The event was also attended by nearly 100 participants from all around the Mediterranean region.

YEP MED aims to develop port-logistics training and vocational (TVET) resources adapted to sector needs to strengthen youth employability; increase and upgrade local employment opportunities through the creation of real dual-learning programmes with job placements, strengthening the role of SME’s operating in the port ecosystems for future employment creation; and setting up collaborative national and transnational partnerships between port-logistics associations, operators, small and medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs), training centres and Vocational Education and Training (VET) providers, whilst introducing a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) co-management process.

For a full list of partners of the YEP MED project, you can go to the project’s website. As associated entities, MEDPorts association and Consell Valencià de la Joventut will also join the project. 

For more information on the project you can contact Concha Palacios from the project office at concha.palacios@portdebarcelona.cat.