• Africa’s young population of 426 million struggles with lack of practical skills, blocking their entry into the workforce.
• Vocational training and apprenticeships remain limited, with glaring inequalities between countries and genders.
• Governments must strengthen ties between schools and businesses, expand paid training, and value technical professions to turn demographic growth into economic gain.

Africa has a rapidly growing youth population, but it fails to provide training suited to the job market. This gap between education and work risks turning a demographic advantage into a lasting burden.

The International Labour Organisation (ILO) published a report on August 11, showing Africa must boost vocational training and apprenticeships to improve youth employability. The continent holds nearly one-quarter of the world’s youth — 426 million young people. Yet many lack the practical and relevant skills employers demand.

One in five young Africans has never attended school. Almost half drop out during primary or lower secondary education. Only about 5% reach higher education. Completion rates for technical training vary widely. Some countries exceed 15%, while others fall below 1%. Apprenticeships are scarce, with an average of just 35 out of every 1,000 youth aged 15 to 29 participating. Some nations offer apprenticeships to over 50 per 1,000 young people; others offer nearly none.

This shortage of skills traps many young Africans in informal, low-productivity jobs. Internships and apprenticeships, which should link school learning to work, remain rare. Even when available, apprenticeships mostly favor young men, who have twice the access compared to young women.

These gaps reflect political and budget choices, as well as a slow response to shifting economic needs. Digital technology, energy, and health sectors require new skills that current programs fail to address. The ILO, UNESCO, and the World Bank stress that effective vocational training can turn Africa’s demographic trend into economic success. Renewable energy companies already face difficulty finding qualified technicians, delaying projects.

The chance to change depends on governments creating stronger partnerships between schools and businesses, guaranteeing fair access, and promoting paid training. Various programs show promise. For example, the Katsina Vocational Training Centre trained over 11,900 people by 2018 in skills like sewing, electronics, and mechanics. The World Bank’s East Africa Skills for Transformation and Regional Integration (EASTRIP) program opened an ICT center of excellence in Tanzania, boosting specialized training especially for women.

To scale this success, Africa needs more initiatives, unified certification systems, and higher prestige for technical careers across the continent.

This article was initially published in French by Félicien Houindo Lokossou
Edited in English by Ange Jason Quenum