Apprenticeship in Gabon

Gabon has an established legal framework for apprenticeship, but delivery differs between public centres, private authorised centres, enterprise-integrated centres, atelier-école workshops, companies and approved artisans. Local arrangements may be described as formation professionnelle, enseignement technique et professionnel, formation initiale, formation en alternance or apprentissage. Residential programmes and alternating programmes both exist. Alternance combines theory in a centre or other authorised structure with workplace practice in a company or under a maître artisan. Full-time vocational programmes also include workplace practice. Common fields include construction, public works, carpentry and wood processing, mechanical production, welding, boiler-making, electrotechnics, electronics, industrial maintenance, machinery, refrigeration and air conditioning, agriculture, mining, food processing, renewable energy and information and communication technologies. Nkok centres provide practical sector training, internships, apprenticeships and employer contacts in areas such as building and public works and information and communication technologies. Admission rules depend on the pathway. General entry to a professional training centre can begin at age 14. An apprenticeship governed by the Labour Code normally begins at age 16, although the Ministry of Education can grant a derogation for ages 14 to 15. The Nkok information and communication technology apprenticeship pathway also accepts applicants from age 14. Secondary progression may connect the end of lower secondary education with a Certificat de qualification professionnelle (CQP) or Certificat d'aptitude professionnelle (CAP), a second-cycle pathway with a Brevet d'études professionnelles (BEP), and upper-secondary study with a Brevet de technicien (BT), Brevet professionnel (BP) or Baccalauréat professionnel (Bac pro). A baccalaureate or equivalent can lead to a Brevet de technicien supérieur (BTS), Diplôme de technicien supérieur (DTS), university technology diploma or engineering studies. The apprenticeship arrangement requires a written contract. A parent or legal tutor signs or validates the contract for a minor, and the Ministry responsible for Labour must approve it. The apprentice follows the instructions of the maître artisan or employer, attends the required centre and company training, and performs work related to the occupation within the apprentice's capacity. The maître artisan or employer teaches the occupation progressively, assigns related work, grants statutory leave, reports illness or absence and provides protection against accidents and occupational diseases. An apprentice who cannot read or write is entitled to up to two hours of instruction during each working day. An apprenticeship under the Labour Code lasts no more than two years, while the duration of a formal centre programme depends on the occupation and track. The apprentice takes an examination at the end of the apprenticeship and may receive a certificat d'apprentissage. Authorised centre pathways can lead to a CAP, BEP, BT, BP, Bac pro, DTS, BTS, CQP or another recognised title according to the programme. Validation of acquired experience (VAE) is also recognised for these qualifications. VAE normally requires at least five years of experience for qualifications below the baccalaureate level and ten years for post-baccalaureate qualifications; training periods and internships do not count toward that experience. An apprentice receives at least one-quarter of Gabon's statutory minimum wage, known as the SMIG, in the first year and one-half of the SMIG in the second year. This allocation is tax-exempt. Private registration and tuition fees vary by provider, and Gabon has no single national fee schedule or admission calendar for all pathways. Public-centre funding combines state resources, the vocational training contribution or levy, tuition, service income and donor support. An enterprise operating for at least three years and employing more than 20 workers is required under the 2021 rules to host apprentices at approximately 5% of its workforce. Employers are expected to seek hiring after completion, but apprenticeship does not provide a universal job guarantee. The ministry responsible for vocational training and its technical services handle curricula, inspections, examinations and diploma equivalences. Labour inspectors supervise contracts and can convene the apprentice, employer, training centre and relevant training agency for conciliation when a dispute arises. Employment services such as the National Employment Office (ONE) and the National Employment Promotion Programme (PNPE) can connect training with employers. PRODECE, a national skills and employability project active from 2016 to 2023, affected more than 8,400 young people, trained more than 7,000 through internships and apprenticeships, modernised 49 programmes and supported 260 youth businesses; nearly half of its beneficiaries were women.