AUA Opens Turpanjian Center for Rural Development and Adult Education to Revitalize Workforce in Gyumri

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GYUMRI – On Wednesday, October 16, 2013, the American University of Armenia (AUA) launched the AUA Turpanjian Continuing Education Program (TCEP) in Gyumri.  This new program will be collocated with the Turpanjian Rural Development Program (TRDP) in Gyumri.

The TRDP, established in 2006, encourages economic development in rural areas of Armenia and the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic by providing entrepreneurs with education, access to funding, and support to start businesses, jobs, and to improve their communities. Through the TRDP, more than 250 jobs have already been created and 90 projects have been funded.

The TCEP is a new project that aims to enhance the local labor market by preparing residents for careers in business, municipal organizations, and non-governmental organizations. It is designed to enhance Gyumri’s workforce by offering trainings in business management, tourism and hospitality management, career development, and other areas such as English language, soft and technical skill development, and test preparation for admission to western-style universities.   Aside from these courses, the TCEP is equipped to offer additional courses that address market needs to better prepare new university graduates in acquiring the skills necessary for employment.  This is expected to achieve the intent of the program that aims at curtailing migration.

Most TCEP courses are targeted at professionals, youth preparing to enter university, and university students preparing to enter the labor force. Courses will generally take place after work hours and on weekends in order to accommodate the schedules of working professionals. Graduates of TCEP courses are expected to gain prestige in the job market, to move on to different or better positions, or to become more valuable employees within their current organizations.

AUA President Dr. Bruce M. Boghosian says, “Our mission for expanding the Continuing Education Program into Shirak region is to offer high-quality, accessible courses to the region. We hope that these courses will be helpful to the adult learners of the region by giving them skills that they can use at home and in the workplace. We also hope that these courses, particularly the English language and exam preparatory courses, will enable students of the region to apply to universities in Armenia and throughout the world, as well as to AUA.”

Founded in 1991, the American University of Armenia (AUA) is a private, independent university located in Yerevan, Armenia and affiliated with the University of California. AUA provides a global education in Armenia and the region, offering high-quality, graduate and undergraduate studies, encouraging civic engagement, and promoting public service and democratic values.