(Ecofin Agency) - • SENEGEL training began May 23 in Kaolack for 50 youths; 300 to be trained in phase one.
• Initiative targets 50,000 beneficiaries over three years to address youth unemployment.
• Model includes mentorship, coaching, and project-based learning aligned with market needs.
• Over 100,000 young people enter Senegal’s labor market annually; many face joblessness.
• Success depends on local partnerships and sustained support structures.

In response to persistent unemployment among younger graduates, Senegal is betting on practical training programs to boost employability and spur entrepreneurship, adding to traditional academic teachings.

On May 23, 50 youths in Kaolack commenced a three-day intensive course on professional integration, employment, and entrepreneurship under the "Senegalese Next Generation of Leaders" (SENEGEL) program. The scheme, also launched in Mbour, Keur Massar, Saint-Louis, Thiès, and Guédiawaye, plans to train 300 youths in its initial phase, with a bold target of 50,000 beneficiaries over three years.

SENEGEL is employing an innovative approach, first training specialized facilitators in professional integration and business creation. They will then support young entrepreneurs through eight weeks of mentorship and coaching sessions, followed by four weeks of individual learning. The goal is to turn ideas into concrete projects, enhancing practical skills while cultivating a collaborative ecosystem.

Despite these efforts, the Senegalese job market struggles to accommodate the 100,000 to 260,000 youths entering each year, according to UN figures for 2022. Traditional academic training, often detached from economic realities, leaves many graduates unemployed or pushes them toward the informal sector. SENEGEL aims to bridge this gap, providing practical training in line with market needs, and thus strengthening youth employability.

The success of this initiative relies on the sustainability of its support model and the mobilization of local stakeholders, including communities, enterprises, and financial institutions. In 2021, the Macky Sall government implemented a similar dynamic with the "Emergency Program for the Socio-economic Integration and Employment of Youths," aiming to create thousands of jobs through coordination between the state, private sector, and communities. This experience has demonstrated that an approach combining training, financing, and support is key to ignite enduring youth integration.