On 20 August 2026, the STRIPES Project organised a four-hour capacity-building workshop entitled “Entrepreneurship for Vocational Professionals” at the STRIPES Lab at CIS College, Sin El Fil Branch. The training brought together 17 participants from CIS College, INMAA and IRADA and was designed to strengthen vocational professionals’ understanding of entrepreneurship and provide them with practical tools that can later support TVET graduates in considering entrepreneurship as a viable career pathway. Led by Engineer Marwan Daya, a senior executive trainer and strategic advisor with extensive experience in business management and leadership training, the workshop focused on the transition from vocational expertise to business ownership. Participants explored how to identify customers and business opportunities, analyse competitors and customer needs, develop value propositions and business models, understand pricing, costs, profit and cash flow, and find and retain customers. The session also encouraged participants to translate their learning into concrete steps through the development of an initial entrepreneurial action plan.

The workshop followed a strongly practice-oriented approach, combining practical examples, discussions and hands-on activities rather than relying solely on theoretical concepts. This enabled participants to engage with real-world business considerations, including pricing, financial management, customer acquisition, differentiation and long-term business sustainability. The participation of representatives from different STRIPES partners also created an opportunity for knowledge exchange and for developing a shared understanding of entrepreneurship-related capacity-building needs. Overall feedback on the session was very positive, with participants describing the content as relevant and closely connected to practical entrepreneurial needs.

The training contributes to the broader STRIPES capacity-building approach by strengthening the knowledge and practical skills of vocational professionals who can subsequently transfer relevant entrepreneurial concepts to TVET graduates. In this way, the project supports the enrichment of TVET education with competencies that can help graduates enter the labour market through both employment and self-employment pathways. By connecting vocational expertise with entrepreneurial thinking and practical business knowledge, the workshop offered participants tools that can support graduates in recognising opportunities, developing sustainable business ideas and considering entrepreneurship as a realistic option for their professional future.