Morocco to open three new mega vocational training centers

Morocco will open three new mega vocational training centers, which will be inaugurated by King Mohammed VI in the coming months, and will be launched by the next academic year. These three new Cities of Trades and Skills (CMCs) will join the four existing cities in Agadir, Nador, Laayoune and Rabat, which comprise more than 12,000 places for vocational training students. 

The centers will also offer innovative learning methods, such as online courses, virtual reality and simulation labs, as well as partnerships with local and international companies and institutions. It also aims to improve the quality and relevance of vocational training, as well as its governance and financing. 

Along with cutting-edge teaching techniques, the centers will collaborate with national and international companies and institutions and provide online courses, virtual reality labs and simulation labs. 

The aim of the cities is to give Vocational Education and Training (VET) students a roadmap and the opportunity to access platforms that bring together diverse academic specialties and fields of knowledge in various economic sectors, such as agriculture, tourism and social services. The Minister of Economic Inclusion, Small Business, Employment and Skills, Younes Sekkouri, has highlighted the great success that VET graduates have had in the labor market, achieving an impressive placement rate of 69%, far higher than other more traditional academic or vocational training. 

According to Morocco World News, the minister acknowledged that there are some challenges that have specifically impacted four cities, but expressed satisfaction with the overall progress of infrastructure projects being implemented in the country. These cities have suffered the consequences of shortages and rising prices of construction materials, which has meant that the construction companies in charge of these projects have been unable to meet the deadlines and conditions set out in the contracts. 

In view of this circumstance, the Government took the decision to act to address the problem and avoid further delays in light of the current circumstances. On the one hand, the Government allocated additional funds to cover the additional costs of construction materials. On the other hand, the Moroccan Executive initiated new bidding processes to select other construction companies that can assume part of the responsibility for the projects or replace those that cannot continue. 

Several international organizations, including the World Bank, the European Union and the African Development Bank, which have supported the country's projects with financial and technical support, have praised the North African country's efforts to improve its vocational training system. 

The mega vocational training centers are expected to support regional integration, competitiveness and Morocco's social and economic development.