(MENAFN- Jordan News Agency)

Amman, Oct. 8 (Petra) -- The National Employment Program has successfully signed 55,052 subsidized work contracts by the end of the third quarter of 2025, with women representing 51% of the beneficiaries, highlighting strong female participation. The contracts are nearly evenly split between 26,954 males and 28,098 females.
Ministry of Labor spokesperson Mohammad Al-Zayoud told Petra that 3,317 establishments from diverse economic sectors have registered with the program, demonstrating robust confidence from the private sector in the program's ability to generate jobs and attract qualified national talent.
He added that 6,726 beneficiaries from the National Aid Fund have gained employment opportunities through the program, 3,973 males and 2,753 females, contributing to improving household living conditions and promoting self-reliance.
A significant focus of the program is capacity building and skills development. To date, 42,541 employees have received vocational skills training both inside and outside their workplaces, while 10,765 others have undergone specialized training in occupational health and safety, delivered in cooperation with the Vocational Training Corporation. This has enhanced worker competencies and prepared them better for the job market.
Al-Zayoud confirmed that the National Employment Program continues to implement initiatives aimed at providing decent and sustainable employment opportunities for youth and women across various governorates. These efforts align with a comprehensive national vision to promote productive employment, empower human resources, and support the national economy.
Following a recent restructuring, which met all technical and procedural requirements, the program extended its duration by 31 months to July 31, 2028. This extension aims to increase employment rates among Jordanians and reduce operational costs for the private sector, while completing planned activities to achieve the program's development objectives.
Key changes include expanding the eligible age range from 18–40 to 18–45 years and improving benefits for both private sector employers and employees. The wage subsidy was raised from 130 to 145 Jordanian dinars per month for nine months. Additionally, the program now provides a monthly transportation allowance of JD10 for men and JD15 for women to encourage female workforce participation, and increased its contribution to social security premiums from JD 10 to JD12 monthly for nine months.
The duration of wage support was also extended from six to nine months to help workers build skills, increase productivity, and sustain employment. Transportation allowances for National Aid Fund beneficiaries rose from JD 10 to JD 30 monthly, facilitating easier access to workplaces.
The program also enhanced support for people with disabilities by extending wage subsidies to 12 months, and offered special incentives for graduates of the Vocational Training Corporation and holders of BTEC qualifications, extending their support period from nine to twelve months to better facilitate their integration into the labor market.
Current beneficiaries are eligible to benefit from the new improvements, and former beneficiaries who did not complete the subsidy period are allowed to continue in other establishments to fulfill the remaining term.
A new focus area called "Building Job Seekers' Capacities" was added, designed to equip candidates with essential skills such as CV writing, interview techniques, and utilizing technology in job searches to ensure accuracy and seriousness in their applications.
Training companies now have the option to collaborate with private sector establishments to identify their needs, train job seekers, and facilitate their employment via the National Employment Program's platform, with a clear mechanism for disbursing payments based on the number of employed trainees.
Moreover, the program has expanded its support to self-employed individuals and entrepreneurs by offering guidance and on-the-job training to help grow and sustain their businesses, especially in the early stages. Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) can also benefit from training and mentoring in areas like marketing, accounting, and production, and are eligible to receive wage subsidies for employees hired after completing training.

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