CEP graduates 150 students in Zahle
LAU’s Continuing Education Program reaches out to working adults in Zahle with much promise.
Proud CEP students testify that their instructors gave excellent training and tips.
CEP also operates courses in Tripoli with the Safadi Foundation.
Offering a diverse range of programs has already begun to change the local environment, with major firms sending their staff members for further training.
Claudette Hayek is a member of the Zahle municipality and a politically active citizen. As a result, she is frequently asked to talk and give presentations at official events. On hearing from a friend that LAU’s Continuing Education Program (CEP) was offering a public speaking course in Zahle itself, she was encouraged to sign up. “That’s exactly the skill that I need the most in my work,” says Hayek. “I’ve had an innate talent for public speaking since college, but even so, I thought it would be a great idea to get professional training. So, I attended the CEP’s public speaking course and found it extremely helpful,” she explains.
According to Hayek, the instructor gave participants excellent training and useful tips, “such as what to do if you find yourself panicking in the middle of a speech or how to recover from a mistake”. For Hayek, “Whether your job entails carrying out negotiations or you are a teacher or even if you simply work in a hair salon, public speaking is a great skill to learn and we are in need of such courses in Zahle.”
Hayek is just one of the 150 students that have recently graduated from one of the CEP’s 12 programs in Zahle. These diverse programs include courses in English and conversational English, project management, business etiquette, policies and procedures in human resources, advanced recruitment strategies, job analysis and description, public speaking, as well as updates on the TVA system.
“We are very hands on, very much established on the ground with a point of presence at the Chamber of Commerce – a strategic choice for the greater benefit of Zahle and the Bekaa area,” says Michel Majdalani, director of the CEP. Since last year, the CEP has been working in cooperation with the Chamber of Commerce in Zahle to reach out to the various sectors in the area. Students came from fields as diverse as commerce, industry, consulting, tourism and service, among others.
“We also attracted big names, such as the Zahle Electric Company and SICOMO, whose employees are starting to attend our programs. Through our classes we have contributed to the betterment of the work environment and establishing various standards that are badly needed in the different industries in the area,” explains Majdalani. “The CEP brand has been recognized and well received on the Zahle market. We look forward to the challenges ahead and to drumming up a bigger reach in that area, but with the same focus,” he adds.
CEP also operates courses in Tripoli with the Safadi Foundation. It is developing institutional relationships with corporate clients and is already delivering courses on its premises.
When it comes to adapting to the market, Majdalani is confident that CEP’s success “lies in the fact that we keep close ties with the corporate world, the public sector and the communityat large while maintaining academic excellence.”
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