With more than one young city dweller in four out of work, Morocco is one of the countries in the Mediterranean the most affected by unemployment. Graduates but often under-qualified, young people suffer from the shortfalls in the education system and its lack of suitability to the labor market.

Since 2014, the IECD has developed training courses in the fields of energy, a sector that is enjoying strong growth. It joined forces with Heure Joyeuse to create a CFA in construction electricity in 2015 which welcomes young people from underprivileged backgrounds in the Greater Casablanca region. With 88% of professional integration, the CFA is an example. The IECD also supports the Juk Spel Institute and the Technical Training Centre in Kénitra in improving the quality of their training courses as well as in supporting young people towards employment.

IECD Morocco is also developing training courses in the field of personal care through the FAPAR programme (Formation d’Aide à la Personne à autonomie Réduite). This training course was launched in 2021 in collaboration with the local partner association l’Heure Joyeuse and the strong involvement of professionals in the medical and medico-social field. After being launched at the Sidi Maarouf socio-educational centre in Casablanca, the course was rolled out to a second local partner, the Tensift Region Development Centre in Marrakech. IECD Morocco is currently developing a new partnership to launch the course in a new centre and a new town.

The micro and small entreprise support programme was launched in 2021 and aims to develop regionally in Morocco, in partnership with various youth platforms managed by the Heure Joyeuse association. IECD Morocco helps micro-entrepreneurs and very small entreprises to set up or develop their projects. It has also set up an Entrepreneurs’ Club, which helps entrepreneurs to network and offers them the opportunity to update their knowledge or strengthen their skills.

Following the earthquake that hit Morocco in September 2023, the AMEAL project (Avenir Meilleur pour l’Entrepreneuriat et l’Apprentissage – Better Future for Entrepreneurship and Learning) led by IECD Morocco, in partnership with Care Maroc and IECD France, is supporting economic and educational recovery in the province of Al Haouz.