On May 9^th, the Vocational Career Center in Casablanca co-organized with its host institution, the Special Institute of Applied Technology (ISTA) Hay Hassani 1, its first Internship and Employment Forum.

The forum offered more than a thousand youth the opportunity to interact with potential employers. 39 companies participated in the event, including PepsiCo, Burger King, Attijariwafa Bank, Axa Insurance, IKEA, Deloitte Nearshore, and Bombardier. They presented a wide variety of opportunities for youth searching for their first employment experiences or internships. Meet-and-greets and preliminary job and internship interviews created an important link between young job seekers and the world of work.

During the month preceding the event, Career Center helped prepare over 500 youth from different vocational training institutions for the upcoming Forum through job interview preparation workshops, CV clinics, and cover letter workshops. Additionally, Career Center also provided over 60 individual counseling sessions to youth interested in more tailored support.

Yahya Rafii, a trainee in Specialized Commerce at ISTA Hay Hassani 1 explains, "I thank Career Center, USAID and OFPPT for this event. It is an amazing opportunity for all the vocational trainees. I had some interviews with big companies and one of them asked for a second interview. The counselors of Career Center were very supportive and helped me get ready through job interview preparation."

Career Center’s private sector partners also significantly benefited from the job fair. Fatima Yadine, recruitment officer at Attijariwafa Bank, shared, "We had the chance to meet many interesting candidates. Thanks to Career Center, I see a clear improvement of the profiles this year." Badreddine Lakarouf, HR Development and Recruitment Manager at IKEA, said, "This event matches IKEA’s Human Resources mission and strategy perfectly. As a matter of fact, we spare no efforts to support the youth. I thank Career Center for this initiative.”

For more information on USAID Career Center, visit: www.careercenter.ma