• Algeria launched a national network of 18 centers of excellence to develop skills and promote innovation.

• The centers target strategic sectors including agribusiness, textiles, digital technologies, and mechanics.

• Youth unemployment reached about 29.7% in 2024, underscoring pressure to align training with labor market needs.

The Algerian government officially launched, on Wednesday, December 17, a national network of 18 centers of excellence designed to develop skills and promote innovation. Authorities said the initiative responds to the challenges of integrating young graduates into the labor market and to the need for a more qualified workforce. The centers cover several strategic sectors, including agribusiness, textiles, digital technologies, and mechanics, and aim to bring training, industry, and employment closer together.

According to details provided by Seddik Koudil, secretary general of the Ministry of Vocational Training and Education, the centers “receive special attention in terms of equipment and training programs, based on an innovative teaching approach and concrete partnerships with companies.” He said the objective is to “guarantee smooth integration of graduates into the world of work, while allowing young people to access high-quality training that opens prospects for active participation in the development process.”

Koudil also stressed the government’s intention to transform these institutions into fully integrated platforms. He said the platforms will allow young people to develop skills aligned with labor market needs and will help stimulate innovation.

The initiative comes as Algeria’s youth labor market remains under strain. In 2024, the unemployment rate among Algerians aged 15 to 24 reached nearly 29.7%, well above the global average, despite a slight recent decline, according to data from TheGlobalEconomy. At the same time, the World Bank reported that in 2024, about 20% of young people in this age group were not in employment, education, or training.

This article was initially published in French by Félicien Houindo Lokossou

Adapted in English by Ange Jason Quenum