KHOROG, February 25, 2010, Asia-Plus -- The first session of the Apprenticeship Board took place at the Khorog Campus of the School of the Professional and Continuing Education (SPCE) at the University of Central Asia (UCA) on February 24.

Head of the SPCE’s Khorog Campus Dilovar Butabekov said that the Apprenticeship Board was the public association operating on a voluntary basis and all expenses on events held within the framework of its activities are shared between its members.

“One of the objectives of the Apprenticeship Board is in coordinating activities of the UCA’s SPCE and employers (companies or private individuals) collaborating with SPCE in the field of vocational-technical education,” Butabekov said.

According to him, the Apprenticeship Board members have the right to participate in working out the SPCE professional development programs and recommendations on the being implemented SPCE programs, endorsement of qualification characteristics of professions and specialties on which SCPE organizes training, analysis of quality, training of students, improvement of training means and methodologies, etc.

Qadamsho Chiniyev, director general of the Khorog production public association Nazri was elected as chairman of the Apprenticeship Board.

UCA’s School of Professional and Continuing Education (SPCE) is Central Asia’s first provider of formal, university-based, non-degree educational programs, offering vocational, professional development and personal improvement opportunities to youth and adults.

Established in 2006, SPCE is UCA’s first operational academic program, and has the mission of fostering economic development. It does this by responding to trends and needs in the local economies of the communities in which it operates and offering courses that improve employment and income generating opportunities for youth and adults, and professional development opportunities for mid-career professionals. By building vocational skills and professional competencies, SPCE will encourage entrepreneurship in the region and stimulate economic development.

Most SPCE professional development programs will award students internationally recognized and transferable certificates, based on European Credit Transfer System standards. These will allow graduates to apply their credits toward further education anywhere in the world, including UCA, and have their credentials recognized by a broad range of local, national and international potential employers.  Additionally, the three SPCE campuses are Registered Examination Centers for the London Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), which has centers in over 100 countries and receives international recognition from employers, educational institutes and professional bodies worldwide.

SPCE has town campuses in the three UCA campus towns of Tekeli, Kazakhstan, Naryn, Kyrgyzstan and Khorog, Tajikistan.