On May 12, 2009, 116 skilled craftsmen graduated from the Kunar Construction Center (KCC) – the fourth graduating class in just over a year. During their three-month training course, formerly unemployed young men from eastern Afghanistan earned certifications in carpentry, electrical work, masonry, painting, plumbing, or rebar placement. The KCC opened on March 13, 2008 and demonstrates the determination and vision of local, provincial, and international communities – and the military – committed to working together to rebuild Afghanistan.
“The combination of high-quality vocational training and regional reach makes the Kunar Construction Center a model for Afghanistan as a whole,” said USAID Representative Tanya Urquieta in her address at the ceremony. “In putting their training to work, today’s graduates are playing an immediate and active role in the development and reconstruction of their country.”
Following the graduation ceremony, the Center hosted a job fair where the construction companies examined the students’ work and discussed employment opportunities. Center graduates have a high success rate in finding employment in the construction industry, which is one of the largest and fastest growing economic sectors in the country.