Vocational training initiatives in Africa

Various West and Central African nations have implemented vocational training initiatives targeting youth and women to improve employability and economic autonomy.

In Guinea, the Ministry of National Education, Literacy, Technical Education and Vocational Training launched a Mobile Training Unit supported by UNICEF. This pilot program provides industrial skills training, such as building electricity and sanitary plumbing, to youth who are not in education, employment, or training (NEET). The initiative uses a “school-site” approach where students apply skills to community projects.

In Senegal, professional training programs for 15 young people in the Bembou commune were launched at the Lycée Technique Industriel et Minier de Kédougou to meet regional economic needs. Simultaneously, in Chad, a program supported by the SWEDD+ project began in the Bahr-Azoum department, focusing on teaching women and youth to operate and maintain agricultural tools and irrigation technologies.

Expanding on these efforts in Chad, the National Office for Employment Promotion (ONAPE) and the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA) launched a professional training program for 75 young people. This initiative targets three market sectors: metal construction, building electricity, and masonry, with the goal of improving socio-professional integration.