Morocco Launches Ambitious Job Support Plan for Youth Without Diplomas

Morocco World

01-05-2025

Rabat – The Moroccan government has announced a major new initiative aimed at improving job prospects for Moroccan youth who lack formal qualifications.
For the first time, these youth will be included in employment support programs that traditionally focused on graduates.
At a meeting in Rabat led by Prime Minister Aziz Akhannouch and attended by several key ministries, Minister of Economic Inclusion, Younes Sekkouri outlined the new direction.
Companies that hire young people without diplomas will now be eligible for government subsidies.
These subsidies may help cover wages, training costs, or both, making it easier for businesses to take a chance on inexperienced workers.
This marks a clear departure from previous employment strategies, placing a renewed focus on inclusion and practical support.
The government seeks to address not only the lack of jobs, but also the mismatch between young people's skills and the demands of the labor market.
The plan also encourages companies to open up more opportunities through vocational training.
Priority sectors include the automotive industry, textiles, and construction, areas with strong potential for growth and job creation. To support this, the number of vocational training participants will increase significantly, from 30,000 to 100,000.
Alongside this expansion, the government is introducing a new three-year training path for students after high school.
The program includes a foundational year focused on language learning and soft skills, which are especially important in customer-facing fields like tourism.
Efforts are also underway to move workers from industries with too much labor to those facing shortages. This will involve targeted retraining to ensure workers can transition smoothly into new roles.
To implement this comprehensive employment roadmap, the government has allocated around MAD 15 billion ($1.5 billion).
Akhannouch led this meeting to push forward Morocco's national employment roadmap, as the country continues to grapple with widespread job insecurity.
The session brought together key stakeholders to assess the government's progress in creating job opportunities and alleviating the economic pressures facing many Moroccan households.
This marked the second high-level meeting since the release of a government circular in February that outlined the framework for a national employment strategy.
With the groundwork laid, the focus has now shifted toward delivering tangible results, particularly for the groups most affected by unemployment: youth, women, and rural families.
This investment signals a meaningful shift toward a more inclusive and adaptive employment policy that aims to level the playing field for all youth, regardless of their education. However, its true impact remains to be seen and should be approached with measured optimism. Tags: job sectorMorocco youthyouthYouth Employment