• Algeria has launched a national framework to align training with measurable skills
• The reform replaces a system of over 400 specialties with competency-based units
• The move targets a persistent gap between training output and labor market needs

Algeria has launched a National Training and Skills Framework (RNFC), marking a shift toward a competency-based approach in vocational education.

The framework was officially introduced on March 16 in Algiers by Vocational Training and Education Minister Nassima Arhab. It replaces a previous system built around more than 400 specialties across 23 professional sectors.

The new model focuses on identifying and defining practical, measurable skills. Training will now be organized around units of competence that can be assessed and recognized independently, moving away from rigid program structures.

Arhab described the framework as a central pillar of the sector’s ongoing reform, aimed at building a more modern and effective training system that can better respond to the needs of the national economy and the rapid evolution of jobs and technologies.

The reform comes against the backdrop of a persistent mismatch between training and employment. According to Algeria’s National Statistics Office (ONS), the unemployment rate stood at 9.7% in 2024, despite the creation of more than 450,000 jobs during the year.

To address this gap, authorities have expanded training capacity. For the February 2026 intake, around 285,000 new training slots were opened, including more than 57,000 apprenticeship positions within companies.

This effort builds on the October 2025 intake, which brought in 672,000 trainees and introduced 40 new specialties, particularly in digital fields.

Félicien Houindo Lokossou