The National Office of Professional Training (ONFPP in French) (www.ONFPPguinee.org), in partnership with the Guinean government’s Delivery Unit (DU), completed a training program for business leaders from 25 Micro, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (MSMEs) in the region of Boke, one of the country’s resource-rich provinces. The two-week training program known by the acronym GERME (Gérer Mieux votre Entreprise) was developed by the International Labor Office and is being implemented in more than 85 countries worldwide. The training is being dispensed by the ONFPP’s certified trainers under the supervision of one of the ILO’s master trainers. A training needs assessment supported the selection of entrepreneurs who benefited from this training. The objective is to allow these 25 entrepreneurs to develop and strengthen their management competencies to improve their performance and profitability, while creating more jobs.

“It is with real pleasure that I am announcing the end of the training of the first cohort of MSMEs in Boke as part of the program to reinforce the competitivity of enterprises and job creation. From January 2018, a structure will open on the site of the Higher Institute of Mines and Geology to pilot ongoing support to companies from the Region as well as the employability of our young graduates. This initiative which will then be replicated in other regions in Guinea demonstrates the determination and commitment of the Government to promote jobs and entrepreneurship in the areas where the population is growing rapidly, particularly in mining regions” declared Mamady Youla, Prime Minister of the Republic of Guinea.

Additional SME strengthening centers are planned in other cities in the mining and agricultural regions.

“The ONFPP is happy that this first enterprise management training course in Boké has been successful. We decided to finance this training and we do not regret it. We found very motivated entrepreneurs and we are ready to support them beyond the end of the training. The ONFPP and its partners are engaged here in Boké, with a physical presence, to reinforce professional training” added Lucien Guilao, Director General of the National Office for Professional Training of the Republic of Guinea.

The DU, which functions under the Office of the Prime Minister of Guinea, aims to accelerate the implementation of Government flagship initiatives through the development and incubation of effective, sustainable, and results-oriented approaches.

“Boké plays a key role today in the economic development of Guinea because of its booming bauxite mining industry. Our role is to ensure that local and national enterprises have all the tools they need to benefit from this growth, and in turn generate employment opportunities.” said Vincent Michi, CEO of the DU.

In the mining sector, the DU’s interventions focus on increasing the economic impact of mineral production on the Guinean population. It is supporting the Government of Guinea with three priority interventions:

1. The creation of Mobile Training Units dedicated to professional training over short periods of time, to improve the employability of young Guineans and respond to the needs of enterprises in the sector.
2. The establishment of service centers dedicated to enterprises and job seekers to harness the impact of mining activity.
3. Support to the transformation of the Higher Institute of Mining and Geology (ISMG) into a Center of Excellence.