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Preparing Youth for the Jobs Market in Central Africa
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In a country like the Democratic Republic of Congo, where young people make up two-thirds of the population, investing in training is crucial for the future of the country. AFD and the Congolese authorities are backing vocational training programs for young people, which aim to transform their educational and professional prospects.
The Vocational Training Modernization Project (link in French) is part of an effort to match young people’s skills with the needs of the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s growing formal and informal economy. Eight training centers have been built or renovated in the country. In addition, this modernization program means that new specialized courses can be offered, designed to meet specific local needs and new market requirements, to ensure that all young people have access to opportunities for skills development.
Further reading: €100 Million for Improved education in Guinea and Niger
Reflecting the responsiveness and enthusiasm typical of young people, these projects have already improved the quality of vocational training, thus opening the door to new opportunities for entrepreneurship and innovation across the country.
In vulnerable regions such as Bukavu and Goma, six business incubators have been established to ensure these areas do not lag behind. And the regions of Matadi, Boma, Kikwit, Mbandaka and Kisangani are also being transformed into dynamic business ecosystems, providing fertile ground for the development of innovative projects and a growing number of local start-ups. With AFD’s commitment to equal opportunities and diversity, inclusion is a priority, not least in terms of gender equality, for communities too often cut adrift.
Prioritizing agricultural and rural training
To guarantee the relevance and quality of the training provided by the INPP, these programs are being adapted to meet the needs of the job market: the system for qualification-based training and over 100 training standards have thus been reviewed and reformed. Via an innovation fund, eight innovative training projects have received support to address the specific challenges of local regions. Incorporating these measures into the INPP 1, 2 and 3 projects has led to a significant increase in the number of students trained each year, rising from 16,000 to over 40,000 between 2009 and 2020.
See also: Sports, Education and Training Together in Togo
By training its young people, the Democratic Republic of the Congo is building on one of its major assets, namely its human capital, which has the capacity to boost the socio-economic development of the entire country. In light of the progress already made, the DRC and AFD are continuing their efforts to improve training, particularly in the agricultural and rural sector, with a support project for Governance, Integration and Agricultural and Rural Training in the Tshopo region (GIFT), which aims to strengthen technical and university training structures, by incorporating programs on sustainable agriculture and adopting an ambitious cross-cutting approach to gender mainstreaming.