Success stories in the technical and industrial fields, as well as job opportunities in the sector, were presented to young girls, on the occasion of the International Women’s Day.
This Wednesday, March 8, 2023, the Ivorian Minister of Technical Education, Vocational Training and Apprenticeship, NGuessan Koffi and the CEO of Nestlé Cote d’Ivoire, Mohamad Itani, gave a real lesson on
the industrial sector.
It was during the commemoration of the International Women’s Rights Day, celebrated for the occasion at the Technical High School of Abidjan in Cocody. This year, it is the subsidiary of this Swiss agro-industrial giant that was chosen by the Ministry to present to students models of success in the technical and industrial field, as
well as job opportunities in the sector.
NGuessan Koffi was clear on this strategic sector, stating that the development of the country will rely on industrialization. For this reason, he urged women to take an interest in technical fields.
The Minister recalled the incentive policy of the State of Cote d’Ivoire to bring more girls to these trades of the future. In this regard, the State of Cote d’Ivoire grants scholarships of different levels.
“If you are a girl that you are in an industrial field you do not have the same rate as a boy who is in the same field,” he said, while urging students to embrace the industrial and technical fields to have the best jobs here in Cote d’Ivoire and internationally.
“I guarantee that all the girls who will come to present the technical ‘baccalaureat,’ you will be the most fulfilled because the work awaits you,” reassured the Minister.
As for the General Manager of Nestlé Cote d’Ivoire, he shared the inclusive work environment advocated by the subsidiary in order to germinate different talents. “Our Management Committee is composed of 50 percent women. We also have women in our factories, in the field of sales and in finance.”
He said the promotion of gender was definitely a winning bet, insisting that the approach of the food company was to encourage female candidates by accompanying promising careers.
“We are working to provide them with a working and training framework to help them break the barriers to their professional development,” he went on, adding that “we have a training center that has recruited 46 percent of trainees girls in its workforce since 2017.”
These, he said, are exercised on technical equipment (electrical, automation, machinery, tools) and equipment for food technology. Mr. Mohamad Itani then outlined the various initiatives for gender equality in the company he leads.
« We know that improving gender balance will lead to better decisions, stronger innovation and greater job satisfaction. That’s why we’ve set measurable goals to track our progress and hold ourselves accountable,” he argued.
The commemorative ceremony featured a panel discussion led by company executives, including Joelle Abega Oyouomi, Nestlé’s plant manager. She insinuated to the students of the technical high school of Abidjan
that it is possible to exercise all professions, without gender discrimination.
“Professions are linked to competence and I am an example of this. It is therefore possible for girls to achieve this, provided that they train and produce excellent results,” Joelle Abega advised.
AP/fss/APA