The Director General of the ONFP, Mouhamadou Lamine Bara Lo, has placed the modernization of technical high schools and the orientation towards promising sectors at the heart of the strategy for transforming vocational training in Senegal.

Invited to the "Sunday Jury", he defended a vision focused on modern infrastructure, state-of-the-art equipment and training directly connected to the real needs of the national economy.

For him, vocational training cannot achieve its objectives if technical centers and high schools remain in a state of advanced disrepair. "We must make training high schools attractive," he insisted, believing that both parents and students should be able to see these institutions as spaces of excellence and future prospects.

In this context, the ONFP has launched several rehabilitation and equipment programs. Investments have already been made in institutions such as the André Peytavin high school in Saint-Louis and some technical high schools in Dakar and Kaolack, with the installation of modern equipment intended particularly for industrial sectors.

In addition to existing high schools, the government also plans to rehabilitate around fifty identified training centers across the country. At the same time, between 25 and 30 new centers are being launched under the supervision of the Ministry of Vocational Training.

The Director General of the ONFP also cited several modern centers already in operation, notably in Diamniadio, focusing on construction, agriculture, logistics, and digital industries. In Nétéboulou, in the Tambacounda region, a center spanning over ten hectares was recently completed to provide young people in remote areas with facilities comparable to those found in major cities.

But for the ONFP, the issue is not limited to infrastructure. The real challenge remains the alignment between the training programs offered and the needs of the labor market.

Thus, the office now aims to guide young people more towards so-called "promising" sectors, capable of quickly generating employment and supporting Senegal's economic transformation. Industrial engineering and technology are among the stated priorities, as are trades in construction and public works, logistics, electricity, and industrial welding. Oil and gas exploitation is, in fact, one of the main drivers of this reorientation.

According to the general manager, Senegal still suffers from a skills deficit in several technical professions related to local content, which explains the significant presence of foreign workers specializing in certain sectors.

In response to this situation, the ONFP has already begun developing specific training programs in the downstream oil sector and is working on a directory of oil and gas professions. A project for a training center in industrial welding and electricity is also being prepared in Saint-Louis with foreign partners.

The official particularly emphasized the opportunities offered by certain often underestimated technical professions. "A highly skilled welder can earn more than many managers," he stated, urging young people to overcome certain prejudices about manual and industrial jobs.

In addition to industrial sectors, the ONFP wants to gradually invest in cultural and creative industries, considered an important lever for youth employment.

To better anticipate future needs, a comprehensive study on jobs, skills, and professions in regional hubs is underway. This mapping should make it possible to identify the most promising sectors based on the economic realities of each area of the country.

Through this strategy, the stated objective is clear: to train young people who are immediately operational, capable of either joining companies or creating their own business thanks to skills adapted to the economic changes in Senegal.