Morocco's role in easing the skills shortage

The first edition of the Aerospace African Forum held in Casablanca last February was a tangible proof that the Moroccan aeronautical industry is back.

This dynamism is a source of satisfaction for the Kingdom which is addressing the training issue with efficiency.

Ryad Mezzour, minister of industry and trade, said: “The best news for me in a country that has a very competitive platform in the aerospace industry is that we need more planes. We are ready to produce with the best quality and at the best prices. Huge opportunities are opening up to us.”

The vitality of the Moroccan industrial fabric is linked to a forward-looking training policy. Training institutes like IMA and ISMALA are at the heart of the aeronautical ecosystem in Morocco. This target-driven policy, presented by the president of Rabat University Noureddine Mouaddib during the MEBAA Airshow in Marrakech in 2019, has since been strengthened.

According to Mouaddib: “There can be no development without qualified human resources, fully equipped with the skills required in such a cutting-edge field as aeronautics. It is vital to train to perform”.

IMA offers tailor-made qualifying training in specific fields in line with needs of manufacturers: boilermaking, composite assembly, machining and electrical systems. It also provides in-service training. Students are immediately operational as they spend half of their training at the institute and the other half in the industry.

“Manufacturers come to see us for specific skills. A programme is then set up to meet their needs”, says IMA’s general manager, Patrick Ménager.

"As such,they can more easily transmit the required skills and know-how to enable students to respond to all situations within the company and to meet the high level of quality expected."

“We are clearly able to meet and adapt to the needs of manufacturers based in Morocco. It is really a win-win approach”, points out Patrick Ménager.

IMA conducts various campaigns and competitions to identity the best talents in all regions of Morocco. The institute has trained more than 13,000 young people since it was set up 12 years ago.