Rabat – Morocco’s Minister of Economic Inclusion, Small Business, Employment, and Skills, Younes Sekkouri, has put forward a proposal to introduce internship programs starting in primary school. This initiative aims to provide students with valuable exposure to professional challenges and cultivate a more practical and informed understanding of the working life.
Sekkouri advocated for the integration of internships at an early age, suggesting that children as young as six years old should be given the opportunity to spend half a day in associations or companies, according to Morocco’s state-owned National Company of Radio and Television (SNRT).
The Moroccan minister made his remarks during a seminar focused on enhancing the school and vocational guidance systems, organized by the country’s Supreme Council for Education, Training, and Scientific Research.
During the seminar, Sekkouri unveiled a series of proposals and measures aimed at transforming the vocational guidance landscape in Morocco. He emphasized the urgent need for stronger partnerships between administrative institutions and businesses, acknowledging the current inadequacy of existing efforts in meeting the demands of graduates seeking employment opportunities.
In line with his vision for an improved vocational guidance system, Sekkouri called for prompt legislative action to regulate different types of internships, including both paid and unpaid positions.
This regulatory framework would ensure fair treatment and protection for students while fostering mutually beneficial relationships between educational institutions and the professional sector.
Read Also: Survey: Internships ‘Provide Viable Route to Employment’ in MENA
In a bid to bolster the country’s employment prospects and align them with the demands of the digital age, the Moroccan minister announced the launch of an artificial intelligence observatory. This observatory, developed through collaboration with several institutions, such as Mohammed VI Polytechnic University (UM6P), represents a year and a half of concerted effort.
The artificial intelligence observatory will serve as a public resource accessible to all, offering digital coaching programs and enabling users to upload their resumes, the minister said. By analyzing individual profiles, geographical locations, and industry trends, he added, the observatory will provide personalized job suggestions. Furthermore, it will compile statistical data and identify emerging trends across different sectors.
A 2022 survey in North Africa and the Middle East (MENA) found that internships provide job opportunities for fresh graduates, noting that 92% of professionals in the MENA region think that internships increase fresh graduates’ chances of getting a job after college.
