Senegal and Tunisia launch new vocational training initiatives

Senegal’s Minister of Employment and Vocational Training, Idrissa Samb, revived the national TerangaSkills competition, stressing the need to raise the profile of technical trades and link skills development to the 2026 Youth Olympic Games in Dakar. About 480 candidates competed in 24 occupations ranging from cooking to emerging technologies, and the government plans to institutionalise the contest with regional events and enhanced apprenticeships.

Tunisia’s Minister of Employment and Vocational Training, Riadh Chaoued, announced the creation of six new vocational specialties for the 2026‑27 school year, including a "life‑support companion" program, a senior‑level solar‑energy technician track, and a bakery and pastry curriculum. The reforms aim to align training with market needs, expand centre capacity to over 25,300 places, and are supported by a 20 million‑dinars budget line for vulnerable learners.