• Guinea relaunches “Allô Maître” linking vocational graduates to jobs
• Users dial 1010 to access certified craftsmen via national network
• Initiative targets youth unemployment, supports broader employment reforms

Guinea has taken a new step to promote technical education, officially relaunching “Allô Maître” on Saturday, April 4. The service is designed to connect graduates of vocational training centers with real labor market demand.

The ceremony was presided over by Minister of National Education, Literacy, Technical Education and Vocational Training Alpha Bacar Barry, alongside other senior officials.

According to an official statement, users can dial 1010 to access qualified and certified craftsmen in real time. The service relies on 130 workers deployed across nine service hubs, supported by a centralized coordination system.

Expanding access to technical services

The platform currently covers six trades, with plans to expand gradually. Mobile teams equipped with motorbikes provide rapid on-site services.

At the launch, Hassimiou Souaré, national director of Apprenticeship and Post-Primary and Post-Secondary Training, said the priority is to scale up the model by strengthening links between training, certification and employment.

A partner organization that tested the service described it as “effective.” Several technical and financial partners said they plan to recommend “Allô Maître” to companies, embassies and United Nations institutions.

The government aims to both improve job placement for vocational graduates and provide users with reliable access to quality technical services.

Addressing youth employment pressures

Demand remains high. According to the Guinean Employment Promotion Agency (AGUIPE), around 60% of people aged 15 to 24 are out of work or not in education. The rate is even higher among graduates. The agency links this to longstanding governance issues affecting higher education and vocational training.

The relaunch forms part of broader reforms over the past two years. In July 2024, the government adopted its first National Employment Policy (PNE 2024–2030), focused on creating productive jobs, improving job quality and reducing inequalities in access to employment.

During policy consultations, Prime Minister Amadou Oury Bah called for mechanisms to support youth employment. “Allô Maître” is one such initiative.

Separately, the government launched the Agricultural Entrepreneurship Support Program (PAENA) in January 2025. The program responds to an unemployment rate of 10.2% in Conakry and rising irregular migration among young people, affecting 8.03% of the youth population.

In training, the National School of Arts and Crafts distributed 1,900 toolkits to learners in November 2024, in line with the Simandou 2040 presidential program.

Félicien Houindo Lokossou