Egyptian students visit the Nanjing Vocational Institute of Railway Technology. [Photo/WeChat account: xhrb2018]

More Egyptian railway professionals are taking on key roles in the country's railway operations thanks to a long-term talent training program carried out by the Nanjing Vocational Institute of Railway Technology.

Egypt's first electrified light rail transit system, connecting Cairo, satellite cities to its east, and Egypt's New Administrative Capital, began trial operations on July 3, 2022. Serving around 5 million residents along the route, the railway has become a key transportation artery for the country.

Behind its operation is a group of 18 Egyptian train drivers and operation and maintenance staff, all of whom graduated from the Nanjing institute.

Today, the institute continues to cooperate with the Egyptian Higher Institute of Transport Technology to cultivate railway talent for Egypt. Under the joint training program, students complete two years of foundational studies in Egypt before traveling to Nanjing for one year of railway courses. In the final year, they return to Egypt for internships tied directly to railway projects.

Meanwhile, teachers from the Chinese college are sent to Egypt in advance to provide Chinese language instruction and foundational courses.

In addition to degrees, the college also offers pre-job training, on-the-job skills upgrading, and teacher training programs tailored to the practical needs of railway projects. Its training model closely follows the localization demands of overseas railway projects undertaken by Chinese enterprises.

"What we are doing is long-cycle talent cultivation," said Li Yuanbing, director of the college's Office of International Cooperation and Exchange. "By training local talent for overseas markets, we can help ensure the safe and sustainable operation of projects over the next 10 or 20 years."

A total of 87 Egyptian students has graduated from the college. The 10th of Ramadan City Light Rail Transit line has now been operating safely for more than 1,000 days, demonstrating the successful integration of Chinese technology, Chinese management, and localized Egyptian talent.