Minister of Cooperatives, Labor and Social Welfare Ali Rabiei and head of Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism Organization (ICHHTO), Masoud Soltanifar, signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on Thursday to boost jobs in the handicraft sector.
Underlining the role of micro, small, and medium enterprises in creating jobs in the handicraft sector, Rabiei said small enterprises can generate employments in the short run with modest investments.
He cited the successful example of a footwear training center established in Mashhad (Khorasan Razavi Province) with support from the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), and the Technical and Vocational Training Organization (TVTO) which has created jobs for 2,000 people in the shoe making industry.
He also noted that by carrying out similar projects in other provinces, more than 500,000 jobs could be created in the handicraft sector.
In line with the MoU, Rabiei called for collaboration with the ministry of agricultural Jihad to provide vocational training in rural areas to help boost local economies.
The head of ICHHTO, Masoud Soltanifar said as many as 150,000 Iranians are currently employed in the handicraft sector, noting that the number could increase “at least twofold.”
