On Monday, December 23, 2024, in Abidjan-Treichville, Mamadou Touré, Minister of Youth Promotion, Professional Insertion, and Civic Service, officially launched an apprenticeship training program for 2,107 young people through the Youth Employment Agency (AEJ), in collaboration with the National Chamber of Trades of Côte d'Ivoire. The event was attended by the Minister of Commerce and Industry, Souleymane Diarrassouba.
With a total cost of 998,075,930 CFA francs, the program is part of Phase 3 of the C2D Project – Employment, titled "Socio-professional and Civic Integration Program for Ivorian Youth."
The initiative aims to improve the employability of young people through apprenticeship training in various fields, such as solar energy, pastry making, bakery, nail care, auto mechanics, dry cleaning, building electrical work, and metalworking, among others. The program will be implemented in 18 locations, including Abobo, Cocody, Marcory, Port-Bouët, Yopougon, Songon, Adjamé, Abengourou, Agnibilékrou, Bouaké, Bondoukou, Daloa, Gagnoa, Man, San Pedro, Soubré, Yamoussoukro, and Toumodi.
According to Mamadou Touré, this program provides beneficiaries with practical skills tailored to the needs of the labor market and facilitates their socio-professional integration. “These young people will undergo 12 months of training, including three months of theoretical instruction and nine months of practical training with master artisans,” he explained.
The Minister of Professional Insertion urged the young beneficiaries to seize this opportunity “with determination” and to fully engage in the program. “Be aware of the significant efforts made by the government on your behalf. Give your best,” he advised.
Both ministers expressed their gratitude to the French Development Agency (AFD) for its continuous support to the Ivorian government in financing and implementing this vital program for the youth.
During the ceremony, work kits were symbolically handed over to the young participants. Fulbert Koffi, on behalf of the beneficiaries, expressed gratitude to the President of the Republic and the government for providing this training to facilitate their professional integration.
It is worth noting that a total of 7,850 young people will benefit from apprenticeship training and school-workshops from 2023 to 2027, with a total investment of nearly 3.532 billion CFA francs.