Palestine’s Minister of Labor, Enas Attari, visited the Automotive Industry Training Institute in the Amer Seflia district of Kenitra on Tuesday to explore Morocco’s experience in vocational training in the automotive sector, Morocco’s News Agency (MAP) reported.
Her visit is part of a broader effort to strengthen bilateral relations between Palestine and Morocco, focusing on developing the skills of automotive industry workers to meet industry demands.
A delegation of experts accompanied Attari and briefed her on the institute’s operations and its role in preparing the labor force for Morocco’s booming automotive industry.
“This visit has allowed me to witness firsthand the fruitful experience of this institute, which stands as a concrete example of collaboration between the public and private sectors,” she told MAP.
Founded in February 2014, the Kenitra Institute is playing a pivotal role in bridging the gap between industry demands and workforce skills by offering both basic and advanced training.
With the capacity to train 2,500 apprentices a year, the institute provides specialized courses in areas such as automation systems, mechanical engineering, automotive manufacturing, welding, electricity and automation, and automotive technology, among others.
The vocational training center is training a new generation of highly skilled professionals to meet the growing needs of Morocco’s booming automotive industry, which has emerged as a significant driver of the country’s industrial growth. Institutions such as the one in Kenitra are vital to ensure a steady supply of qualified workers to manufacturers.
Morocco’s automotive industry has grown significantly over the last decade since its start in the 1960’s. According to Morocco’s Ministry of Industry and Trade, the automotive sector created more than 180,761 jobs between 2014 and 2021 and produces as many as 700,000 vehicles per year. The industry’s export revenues exceeded MAD 80 billion in 2021.
France’s Renault Group operates two plants in Morocco, the larger in Tangier, which produces over 400,000 vehicles annually. The other in Casablanca (SOMACA) produces around 85,000 vehicles per year.
Stellantis (formerly PSA Peugeot-Citroën) also operates a modern facility in Kenitra, which opened in 2019 and has the capacity to produce 200,000 vehicles a year.