Collaboration between Silatech, EFE-Maroc, and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation leads to the employment of over 700 young men and women in the Moroccan job market in its first year
Silatech, an international socio-economic development non-profit organization that connects youth to jobs and economic opportunities, announced a new milestone in Morocco with its partners; the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and EFE-Maroc. Over 700 young men and women have been placed into jobs in various sectors including education, sales, food and beverage, and the automotive industry.
The “A Chance to Reset: Reskilling, Empowerment towards Sustainable Employment to Thrive” project aims to bridge the skills mismatch and tackle the high youth unemployment rate in Morocco, especially after the Covid-19 pandemic. The project targets the placement of 8,175 youth into high demand jobs. “The pandemic has been catastrophic for young people around the world, but it has accelerated the pace of change for organisations like Silatech to come back stronger than before.
We believe that partnerships and innovative solutions are the ultimate way forward to tackle the rising global issue of youth unemployment”, stated Silatech CEO Hassan Ali Al-Mulla. This 4-year project aims to combat the high rates of youth unemployment and underemployment that Morocco faces within its youth demography by helping them develop their skills as well as their technical expertise based on the job market needs. “Since September 2021, and thanks to the “RESET” project, EFE-Maroc has been able to train thousands of youth across Morocco and place more than 700 job seekers into employment.
Our goal is to reach 2,000 placements annually, which is achievable when we have a strong and agile ecosystem as is the case for Morocco and this is thanks to its 4 main pillars: committed public partners, a motivated private sector, high potential young people and a dedicated civil society”, said Houda Barakate, EFE-Maroc CEO. James Carty, Deputy Director for Middle East and East Asia, at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, said, “We are proud of what has been accomplished by this partnership with Silatech and EFE-Maroc in its first year. Programmes such as the “RESET” are extremely important, particularly in a country where 43% of the population is below the age of 24.
The pandemic is the most serious health crisis the world has experienced in a long time and there has never been a greater need to tackle employment with focus and innovation. “ Various activities have been held to achieve this important milestone and facilitate access to the job market for its beneficiaries. This included organizing open days in different cities, and a virtual job fair which gathered job seekers with employers from different sectors and across the country with the support of government institutions like the National Agency for the promotion of Employment and Competencies (ANAPEC).
This project is a step forward for Morocco's youth by providing them with the necessary training and skills required in today's job market. Through helping to strengthen the skills of young people, Silatech and its partners are empowering an entire generation to grow not only their career but also their country. The success of this project in Morocco can hopefully be replicated in other countries that face similar challenges concerning youth unemployment and underemployment.
