THE TOGOLESE EXPERIENCE:

Transcription

1 THE TOGOLESE EXPERIENCE: Short-term Professional Insertion Training (FPI) Presented by: Edmond COMLAN AMOUSSOU Director General of ANPE [Agence National Pour l'emploi - National Agency for Employment] Togo 1

2 Outline of the presentation 0- TOGO IN NUMBERS I- BACKGROUND AND RATIONALE FOR THE PROJECT II- PROCESS FOR IMPLEMENTING THE PROJECT III- OUTLOOK CONCLUSION 2

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4 TOGO in NUMBERS A West African country bordered by Ghana, Burkina Faso, Benin and the Atlantic Ocean. 56,600 km² surface area; 7,000,000 inhabitants; 2.84% average annual population growth; 65% ofthe population is aged under 35 years; 39.8% of the population lives in urban areas; 92% net school attendance rate ( ); 6.5% unemployment rate (ILO definition); 12% unemployment rate amongst young people aged 15 to 29; 4

5 12% unemployment rate amongst young people aged 15 to 29; 80% informal employment; 58.5% live on less than a dollar a day; USD 520 per inhabitant; Lomé is the capital (1.5 million inhabitants); Currency: CFA franc, pegged to the euro; Official language: French; Mineral resources and sources of income: phosphate, cement, marble, iron, cotton, coffee, cocoa; 5

6 I- Background and rationale Togo has been chosen to act as a pilot country for the implementation of a Decent Work Country Programme (DWCP) The challenge is to be a pioneer in the conception of initiatives for the creation and promotion of decent employment for young people in particular Every year in Togo, a large influx of qualified young people (aged 15-29) leave the education system and enter the labour market: 8.1% youth unemployment, 21% amongst those leaving technical and professional education and 48% amongst those leaving higher education 6

7 I- Background and rationale The worst affected industries are: The human sciences (sociology, anthropology, philosophy, psychology, linguistics, etc.), which are caught in a cycle of relatively long-term unemployment. The average amount of time taken for people to find their first job is 26 to 48 months. When people with these profiles find employment, their expected salary (USD 80) is close to the minimum wage (USD 70 per month). The cause: training courses do not correspond to the requirements of the labour market: Average annual influx of 3,463 people leaving higher education for 1,274 appropriate jobs available each year within the economy. 7

8 I- Background and rationale To attempt to find a solution to this situation such as a pre-pilot adjustment training project (Professional Insertion Training Project - FPI) with a view to helping young graduates facing severe difficulties to gain work through self-employment. 8

9 PROCESS FOR DEVELOPING AND IMPLEMENTING THE PROJECT Identification of growth sectors for microbusinesses: reference to national economic studies, a local survey (Lomé) of businesses Four (4) growth sectors selected on a short-term basis (three months): Butchery and cured meats, laundry (launderette), processing of fish products and market gardening. Drawing up of job sheets and training plans: participatory process (businesses, careers advisors, statisticians, expert training engineer) Identification of potential entrepreneurs: ANPE database of persons with the desired profiles, populated on a voluntary basis (80 young people) 9

10 Recruitment of companies offering training: Growth industries Butchery and cured meats Laundry Processing of fish products Market gardening Total 80 Number of Business sector people benefiting 21 Hospitality and catering 4 Butchery and distribution 20 Laundry and dry cleaning 7 Drying-frying and smoking of fish products 7 Drying-frying and smoking of fish products 6 Drying-frying and smoking of fish products 5 Market gardening 5 Market gardening 5 Market gardening 10

11 PROCESS FOR DEVELOPING AND IMPLEMENTING THE PROJECT Entrepreneurship training and drawing up of a business plan: 46 young people were trained and they all drew up (either in groups or individually) a business plan based on their profession (duration: 21 days) Funding to help set up the project: all of the business plans were granted funding for their micro-projects (USD 5,000 for each individual project and USD 12,000 for group projects). 11

12 PROCESS FOR DEVELOPING AND IMPLEMENTING THE PROJECT (1) Identification of growth sectors for micro-businesses (2) Drawing up of job sheets and training plans (3) Identification of potential entrepreneurs (4) Recruitment of training companies 12 (5) Training in the growth sector job

13 PROCESS FOR DEVELOPING AND IMPLEMENTING THE PROJECT (continued) (6) Entrepreneurship training (creation of a business plan) (7) Funding to help set up the project (8) Start of production of the goods or services linked to the activity 13

14 Lessons learned and outlook A schedule has been established and the next step is to look into funding The development of several jobs on the basis of value chains The arrangement of micro-businesses into EIGs based on sector or the establishment of a central purchasing body to negotiate the purchase of raw materials and the sale of products. Focus on regional and international markets To influence the reforms taking place within the higher education system with a view to reducing the flow of students into industries that are not compatible with the Togolese labour 14 market.

15 IMPLEMENTATION PARTNERS Ministries in charge of technical and professional education and higher education ANPE-Togo: database of job-seekers, training and drawing up of a business plan FAIEJ (Fonds d Appui aux Initiatives Économiques des Jeunes - Support Fund for Youth Economic Initiatives): funding for young peoples' projects (business plan) World Bank: funding for the FPI project, excluding the integration of young people Businesses: on-the-job training 15

16 CONCLUSION A large number of different attempts have been made to integrate young people into working life in Togo and in Sub-Saharan Africa: employability programmes, selfemployment training, voluntary work, etc., however the success of these remains limited, and alternatives need to be found that provide added value in order to increase the effectiveness of public employment policies. The FPI represents an important link for the improvement of the person-project balance in terms of entrepreneurship. It is therefore important to include this aspect of learning about the profession to encourage the creation of micro-businesses by young 16 people.

17 THANK YOU for your attention 17