The Eranove Group has developed a programme to train engineers and managers for the African continent.
The consortium around the company Eranove successfully applied for a grant by the Facility Investing for Employment. The Facility is part of Invest for Jobs. On 26 January 2023, the grant contract for 5.17 million euros was signed in Abidjan. In three years, 14,000 people will attend the various training courses offered by the academy and more than 1,100 jobs are expected to be created.
Eranove had participated in a Call for Proposals and was able to convince with a well-developed project proposal. The company will invest a total of 20.67 million euros to develop a training platform under the name “Eranove Academy”. The concept of “lifelong learning” will be at the heart of the trainings. The Facility Investing for Employment will cover 25% of the investment sum. The funds will be disbursed in tranches and the disbursement is linked to the achievement of firmly agreed interim targets.
The signing ceremony took place at the Maison de l’entreprise in Abidjan. It was attended by N’Guessan Koffi, Minister for Technical and Vocational Education and Training, Clara Winkler-Tomety, Deputy Director of the KfW Office in Abidjan, Anke Afflerbach, Managing Director of the Facility Investing for Employment, Marc Albérola, Managing Director of the Eranove Group, and Jocelyn Akele, President of the Eranove Academy.
In his speech, Marc Albérola emphasized the importance of the project: “The ambition that our company has had for several years now, will finally become a reality thanks to the support of the German cooperation, a solid partner who shares our vision of development through the creation of quality jobs. We are now looking forward to the operational phase.”
On the African continent, massive investments are needed in electricity supply, water treatment and sanitation, digitalization, and many other sectors. But industrial companies in West Africa regularly deplore the lack of sufficiently qualified workers in technical professions. The aim of the Eranove Academy is to qualify engineers and managers to work in jobs that are in high demand and to give them a solid technical training, as well as knowledge in management, sales techniques, and marketing.
After completing their training, graduates of the academy are expected to find employment in large companies in the water, electricity, or food sector. In three years, 14,000 people will complete the various training courses offered by the academy and more than 1,100 jobs are expected to be created.