• Ten new technical and vocational schools launched across Côte d’Ivoire.

• Government targets millions of young people out of school and unemployed.

• Training programs aim for 70% job placement with private sector support.

Côte d’Ivoire has announced the opening of ten new technical and vocational schools for the 2025–2026 academic year. The move, unveiled on September 3 in Abidjan by Technical Education and Vocational Training Minister Koffi N’Guessan, is part of a national effort to modernize skills training and reduce youth unemployment.

The new facilities include seven professional high schools in Ebimpé, Yamoussoukro, Diabo, Dabakala, Kong, Korhogo, and Gbéléban, developed in partnership with Chinese group AVIC. They will be joined by a professional high school focused on renewable energy, a construction training center in Yopougon, and a public works and mining training center in Gagnoa.

According to the ministry, more than two million Ivorians aged 16 to 35 are currently neither working nor studying. The new schools are seen as a strategic response to this demographic challenge. “The future of our country depends on our ability to prepare today the skills of tomorrow,” N’Guessan said.

At the February 2025 International Forum on Skills and Careers (FIMEC), experts stressed the need to increase the share of students in technical tracks to 15% by 2030. Programs such as the Talent Academy (ACT) aim to triple enrollment in technical fields, with a job placement rate of 70%. The Second Chance School (E2C) offers pathways back to employment for young people excluded from formal education.

Other government-backed initiatives include the National Internship and Apprenticeship Program (PNSAR), launched in January 2025 to support 142,000 young people through partnerships between the Youth Employment Agency and companies. The Youth Employment and Skills Development Project (PEJEDEC) has already helped 38,000 beneficiaries, with a goal of 102,000 in its third phase. Backed by the French Development Agency and the World Bank, the Curriculum Development Center raised employment rates from 34% to 80% in less than a year.

Complementary projects are also expanding training opportunities. The EU-backed Forprode project provides free training in digital technologies and industrial mechanics in Abidjan and Yamoussoukro. Simplon Côte d’Ivoire has trained 200 young people in digital careers with a 96% placement rate in four years. The UNDP supports entrepreneurship and innovation training that has reached over 500 participants.

Regional experiences highlight the potential. In Senegal, the Mastercard Foundation-backed PFPI program aims to secure jobs for 100,000 young people by 2028, with 181,350 already enrolled and 14 agricultural excellence centers established. In Ghana, the WAVA project led by Bosch Aftermarket, Rana Motors, and GIZ has modernized programs at the Ghana Technical Training Centre and Accra Technical Training Centre.

These initiatives show that combining strong financing, public-private partnerships, and sector-specific specialization can deliver real impact on local economies. Success depends on aligning training with labor market needs, strengthening pathways to employment, and promoting teaching methods adapted to local realities.