On Development Language – Part 3

In previous posts, I wrote about how the words we use in development work influence how people are viewed and valued. This is especially evident in vocational training, where words can shape whether careers grow or stall, and with them, people’s lives.

In Jordan, as in other countries, the official system for vocational certification starts with a level called Semi-Skilled Worker. It covers jobs that can be learned without finishing basic education, such as assistant hairdresser, assistant car electrician, assistant aluminium worker, or assistant cook. The goal is to give people who left school early a formal entry point into the labor market, with a certificate that recognizes their skills.

But the word "assistant" often keeps people on the margins despite their capabilities and accumulated experience. Moving up to higher professional levels requires a secondary school certificate, so many stay at the lowest pay scale, limited not only by the system but also by the language it uses.

Fairer language can make a real difference. Each profession can be presented as a path of growth rather than a fixed role. For example, each profession could follow a progression: Level One, Level Two, Master. Each step offers a chance to move forward.

Changing the words is not the same as reforming the system. But it can be a first step toward better life opportunities through progressive career pathways.

Jordan is now developing a system for recognizing prior learning. It is important that the system expands opportunities for workers regardless of their formal schooling, reflects their accumulated experience, and opens broader training and career advancement pathways.

Image source: https://lnkd.in/dUXHpu88

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