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International News
by Elizabeth Koprowski
Graduates in Morocco face a difficult job market and high rates of unemployment. According to reports from the North African nation, nearly 25% of Moroccans who hold degrees are unemployed. But the government of Morocco wants this figure to change, and a new initiative is set to give Moroccan students career opportunities. Earlier this summer, Morocco launched the Career Center Program(CCP), which is jointly funded by the country’s higher education ministry and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).
The CCP will work to create career centers in Moroccan universities, where students can participate in courses and activities designed to enhance their degrees and prepare them for lucrative careers.
There are several factors that have contributed to Morocco’s high rate of unemployment. Moroccan universities struggle with inefficiencies like overcrowding, but the lack of career guidance has also led to a large number of graduates with low-demand majors or degrees. The new CCP aims to inform students about the labor market and guide them into fields that are in high demand. The program will also work to form alliances with and communication between industry, academia, and the private sector. As well as career counseling and resources, the career centers will help students facilitate internships.
Two career centers have already opened in universities in Marrakesh and Tangier, and a third is being developed in Casablanca. These initial centers will serve as models for future career centers throughout the country and are being designed to be sustainable. So far, career centers are planned only for public universities, but the program includes a mandate to engage with the private sector.
Read more about studying in Morocco.
Elizabeth Koprowski is an American freelance writer and travel historian. She has worked in the higher education system with international students both in Europe and in the USA, and now lives in Norway.
