Tunisia: The Hidden Charms of On-the-Job Training
24 June 2015
Read by 2429 persons
More than any other part of the population, Tunisian youth needs future prospects, especially during and after the revolution, which highlighted this vital need. The unemployment rate in Tunisia is around 16%. Women, nearly one-fifth of whom are unemployed, are particularly affected by unemployment. Furthermore, the unemployment rate for female graduates is close to 35%. Simultaneously, Tunisian businesses are looking for skilled labor.
The Tunisian job market suffers from structural problems. The Employment Fund, implemented by the German cooperation, GIZ, mandated by the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), is mobilizing a system of integrated solutions, supporting projects that meet the expectations of young people and the demands of the job market.
The Employment Fund program aims to facilitate the integration of young people into the job market as employees or self-employed individuals. The interventions of this fund are intended to be original and innovative. They have so far taken place in most regions of the country, particularly in the interior regions. They are characterized by their practical and effective nature. To date, nearly 2000 jobs have been created by this fund.
Businesses and civil society on the front line
Projects are being implemented jointly with actors from the private sector and civil society. Particular attention is paid to disadvantaged regions of the country. The Fund's activities are based on four fundamental approaches: the first is improving continuous training in businesses. In doing so, particular attention is paid to the real needs of the Tunisian economy. The second approach is the matching of company requirements, clearly visible through the numerous job openings, and the profiles of job seekers. The matching is achieved through the professionalization of placement and personnel management. Improving the attractiveness of professions with high employment potential, supporting business creation, and strengthening the entrepreneurial spirit are the other approaches.
Jobs: Even Where You Least Expect Them
20 projects have benefited from the Employment Fund selection. The first results are tangible: nearly 2000 young Tunisians have been able to access the job market. Companies benefiting from the Fund's assistance have opened training centers in their specialties. This is not about creating more training centers in addition to those already existing. On the contrary, these are practical training centers designed to train young people according to the needs of the sponsoring company and based on similar needs of other companies operating in the same sector.
The approach focuses on the exemplary nature of the projects and on the clearly visible and encouraging results. Examples of projects: innovative training for quality tourism; the "Restaurant d'application" project is part of an innovative vision of hospitality in Djerba. It allows trainees to practice in real situations, share their passion, and experiment with skills acquired in courses related to cooking and service. The first candidates have already succeeded.
In the textile sector, and in collaboration with the Sartex company, a training center equipped with material, human, and educational resources has been set up. The center offers practical training programs for young people, even those without any professional qualifications. Young women and men find new professional opportunities here with suitable employment conditions. More than 300 young men and women have already completed training and finally secured a job contract.
As we can see, these two sectors, tourism and textiles, whose employment prospects are not obvious due to international difficulties and an unfavorable national economic situation, have been able to hire young people whose acquired qualifications are practical and meet the needs of companies in the sector.
The training/employment match thus offers a promising area for research and implementation. The problem of youth employment is certainly real, but it can be solved, at least in large part, through this practical approach of field exploration, already successfully used by the Employment Fund project.
E.M / Source: GIZ
Leconomistemaghrebin.com/
Published June 22, 2015.
Posted online June 24, 2015.
The Tunisian job market suffers from structural problems. The Employment Fund, implemented by the German cooperation, GIZ, mandated by the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), is mobilizing a system of integrated solutions, supporting projects that meet the expectations of young people and the demands of the job market.
The Employment Fund program aims to facilitate the integration of young people into the job market as employees or self-employed individuals. The interventions of this fund are intended to be original and innovative. They have so far taken place in most regions of the country, particularly in the interior regions. They are characterized by their practical and effective nature. To date, nearly 2000 jobs have been created by this fund.
Businesses and civil society on the front line
Projects are being implemented jointly with actors from the private sector and civil society. Particular attention is paid to disadvantaged regions of the country. The Fund's activities are based on four fundamental approaches: the first is improving continuous training in businesses. In doing so, particular attention is paid to the real needs of the Tunisian economy. The second approach is the matching of company requirements, clearly visible through the numerous job openings, and the profiles of job seekers. The matching is achieved through the professionalization of placement and personnel management. Improving the attractiveness of professions with high employment potential, supporting business creation, and strengthening the entrepreneurial spirit are the other approaches.
Jobs: Even Where You Least Expect Them
20 projects have benefited from the Employment Fund selection. The first results are tangible: nearly 2000 young Tunisians have been able to access the job market. Companies benefiting from the Fund's assistance have opened training centers in their specialties. This is not about creating more training centers in addition to those already existing. On the contrary, these are practical training centers designed to train young people according to the needs of the sponsoring company and based on similar needs of other companies operating in the same sector.
The approach focuses on the exemplary nature of the projects and on the clearly visible and encouraging results. Examples of projects: innovative training for quality tourism; the "Restaurant d'application" project is part of an innovative vision of hospitality in Djerba. It allows trainees to practice in real situations, share their passion, and experiment with skills acquired in courses related to cooking and service. The first candidates have already succeeded.
In the textile sector, and in collaboration with the Sartex company, a training center equipped with material, human, and educational resources has been set up. The center offers practical training programs for young people, even those without any professional qualifications. Young women and men find new professional opportunities here with suitable employment conditions. More than 300 young men and women have already completed training and finally secured a job contract.
As we can see, these two sectors, tourism and textiles, whose employment prospects are not obvious due to international difficulties and an unfavorable national economic situation, have been able to hire young people whose acquired qualifications are practical and meet the needs of companies in the sector.
The training/employment match thus offers a promising area for research and implementation. The problem of youth employment is certainly real, but it can be solved, at least in large part, through this practical approach of field exploration, already successfully used by the Employment Fund project.
E.M / Source: GIZ
Leconomistemaghrebin.com/
Published June 22, 2015.
Posted online June 24, 2015.
