The mobile continuing training programme for artisans for the 2014-2015 year was launched last Monday in the rural commune of Amezmiz (Al Haouz province).

This programme is part of the strategy for the development of the craft sector and the enhancement of the continuing training system, notably through the expansion of access to continuing training for artisans in rural areas, by offering appropriate training close to the target groups.

It aims to train a workforce of 2,000 male and female artisans through the organisation of 120 training sessions spread territorially over 64 rural communes and 14 regions and provinces.

This programme, which thus aims to make continuing training a lever for the development of artisans' skills, includes technical training related to the practice of trades such as traditional weaving, tapestry, jewellery, pottery, art carpentry, as well as transversal training related to marketing techniques and hygiene and safety rules adapted to the specificities of the craft sector.

Speaking on the occasion of the launch of this programme, the Minister of Handicrafts and Social and Solidarity Economy noted that her department has put in place this new mode of training in order to target male and female artisans in the rural world and bring them closer to the training and continuing training system, adding that these mobile training units have allowed for the coverage of a greater number of rural communes.

The minister also said she was satisfied with her department's strategy in terms of continuing training, which strategy has made it possible to train more than 18,000 artisans, including 12% trained by mobile training units, in promising trades such as art carpentry, ironwork, traditional weaving, tapestry, pottery, leather goods, and jewellery. Furthermore, 59% of people trained by these units are women, she specified.

She added that this training programme has covered 50 urban centres and 46 rural communes, through the organisation of 1,342 training sessions in vocational training establishments and 200 sessions through mobile training units, i.e., 70,000 days/person/training over 7 years and an average of 10,000 days/person/training per year.

She also indicated that her department intends to increase the pace of training in order to train a greater number of beneficiaries through an ambitious programme for the 2014-2015 year aimed at training 12,000 additional artisans to reach 30,000 beneficiaries.

For his part, the governor of the province observed that the said Al Haouz province remains the region that has benefited the most from this programme, which will allow artisans access to large global markets through the restructuring of production.

This programme with promising prospects will also help to economically open up remote regions, he added.

Elaborating on this, the president of the Marrakech-Tensift-Al Haouz region stressed that the craft sector in this region benefits from attention given that the region remains the leading exporter of craft products in Morocco.

For his part, the president of the Marrakech Chamber of Crafts noted that the sector faces several challenges due to increased competitiveness at the international level, calling for more investment in skills.

On the sidelines of this ceremony, the minister proceeded to the distribution of technical equipment for the benefit of cooperatives and female professional associations within the framework of the support of the Ministry of Handicrafts and Social and Solidarity Economy for female artisans in the rural world.