Morocco’s government will soon be launching a roadmap to provide on-the-job training opportunities for 50,000 Moroccan apprentices by 2026, Younes Sekkouri, the country’s Minister of Economic Inclusion and Employment said on Wednesday.
During a visit to a training center in Meknes, Sekkouri announced that his ministry would unveil the roadmap this month.
The roadmap will outline specific measures to enhance the apprenticeship training model, and the private sector will play an integral role. “The needs of the private sector must be met to facilitate recruitment,” Sekkouri told the Moroccan Press Agency (MAP). Private companies have a “vested interest in ensuring this cooperation is successful.”
The initiative will involve the creation of new Intra-Company Apprenticeship Training Centers (CFA-IEs), which will offer hands-on technical and practical training directly within companies. The model is particularly effective for young people who have not completed their high school education.
The apprenticeship programs are expected to combine 80% hands-on experience with 20% classroom learning, to achieve high employment rates for the trainees. “When apprentices receive a salary and proper guidance, the results are remarkable. We see a 100% job placement rate, with a turnover rate of just 2%,” Sekkouri said.
While the government will provide financial support for these programs, businesses are also expected to contribute significantly to funding and sustaining them.
The overarching goal is to reduce youth unemployment, improve business productivity, and boost Morocco’s attractiveness to foreign investors.“Our goal, in line with the directives of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, is to prepare more than 50,000 apprentices by 2026,” Sekkouri said. “We will achieve this through the creation of new CFA-IEs, strengthening business partnerships, and adapting our training to meet market demands.”
The initiative has already led to the creation of over 50 CFA-IEs in the textiles, automotive, leather, and hospitality sectors, with a job placement rate exceeding 80%.
“Intra-company apprenticeship is a win-win solution for young people, businesses, and the entire country,” Sekkouri said.