**3. Employment status**

#### **3.1 Trends**

Socioeconomic trends in Guinea are linked, in large part, to its inclusion in global extractive markets since its independence. The population of Guinea is relatively young like other countries in the West African region, as 60% of the population is under the age of 24 [4]. According to the same source, with a poverty rate of 57.7% in 2017, the challenge of better investing in this youth to accelerate poverty reduction remains enormous. The aforementioned source indicates that in 2016 and 2017, economic growth recovered after a period of stagnation, from 3.8% in 2015 to 6.7% in 2017 (adjusted to 10.6%), but productivity and employment remained modest.

This recovery is due to the effect of a surge in mining activity, with investment and activity in the mining sector increasing with sector governance and rising commodity prices. As of 2017, the country's economic growth was largely dependent on services (49% of GDP), followed by industry and manufacturing, including mining (37%), and agriculture (10%) [5]. Although the majority of the population is active, their jobs remain vulnerable; their incomes are too low to escape poverty because of low productivity. According to the same source [5], the highest poverty rate is found among agricultural workers (66%), followed by workers in the informal or formal private sectors in trade, business, or industry (36%) and the public sector (25%).

Employment trends in Guinea resemble those of other countries in the region, with a high rate of informal work. Also according to [5], since 2016, around 52% of jobs have been in the agricultural sector, followed by 34% in trade and 14% in industry and manufacturing. Guinea had 3.4 million employed workers in 2014 according to national data [6], which rose to 4.7 million in 2017 and 2018 according to the latest estimates, including 56% male and 44% female. Comparing this number to the 3.3 million occupied workers recorded in 1996, Guinea is faced with a very slight increase in this population (average annual growth rate of 0.14%). This overall employment rate is down from that of 1996, which was 62.5%. This development was already reflected in the very slight increase in the employed labor force.

In relation to gender, the participation rate of women in the world of work remains low [5]. The creation of good quality jobs in the industrial sectors remains too weak to absorb more qualified workers. One of the most important characteristics of the unemployment rate is that this rate increases with the level of education. These characteristics also show that the situation of professional, technical (27.7%), and higher (34.7%) level assets is much more worrying. The second characteristic relates to the age of the assets. Unemployment hits young people hardest (specifically the age groups between 15 and 30) [5].

#### **3.2 Portrait of TVET in relation to employment**

The analysis of the TVET training mechanism makes it possible to mention the findings, in connection with employment, which are examined below.

a.An imbalance between demographic pressure and the rate of job growth.

The estimated annual population growth rate of 3% is higher than the average annual employment growth rate (2%). The simultaneous evolution of the age pyramid and the rate of schooling of the population generates a multiplication of the number of people of working age and actually seeking salaried employment. This contributes to the increase in the number of unemployed. This situation requires an improvement in the quality of the job offer for young people and women.

b.The mismatch between training and the real needs of the national economy:

The training system in Guinea has remained inconsistent for a long time both in its structures and in relation to employment needs. Indeed, the training is more intended for the tertiary sector than those of the primary and secondary which are the real breeding grounds for jobs. More than 95% of private training institutions are oriented toward the tertiary sector. In the training content, we note the predominance of theoretical training (70 to 80% of training time) to the detriment of practical training which also constitutes a blocking factor in the system. Most youth training institutions experience difficulties in accessing materials (inputs) and suitable equipment for carrying out practical work internally.

Added to this is the weak connection of these training institutions with the professional world. Out of about 50 training institutions, there are less than 10% of

#### *Perspective Chapter: Technical and Vocational Training Policies and Practices Facing... DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.112446*

institutions have formalized and monitored partnerships with their socio-professional world. The technical education and vocational training system (ETFP) which prepares young people for local labor needs does not have the means and relies on the outside world. Training institutions are experiencing difficulties in allocating human (trainers and supervisors) and financial resources and difficulties in organizing practical internships in the workplace.

This has a negative influence on the quality of training and generates serious problems of socio-professional integration of young people from the training system. To promote the socio-professional integration of young people and women, technical education and vocational training should conform to the evolution of the job market and also take into account the needs of private companies [7].

c.Lack of knowledge of the labor market by the majority of young job seekers

Ignorance of the labor market and support structures is one of the causes that explain certain difficulties encountered by young people in obtaining employment. Structurally, the informal sector is the main provider of jobs in Guinea. The ESTD-2012 survey indicates that 89% of new jobs were generated by the informal sector against 11.2% for the formal sector. In general, young people preferably seek permanent salaried employment, especially in the civil service. However, the lack of knowledge of support structures is one of the causes of the difficulties encountered in accessing employment.

We note that the proportion of young job seekers who know the Guinean agency for the Promotion of Employment (AGUIPE) or another job promotion structure is 34% for men and 19.5% for women. Young job seekers aged 15–24 (25.5%) are less interested in employment promotion structures than those aged 25–34 (31%).

The labor market information and governance system must be strengthened for greater efficiency.

A low rate of professional integration of young people and women.

The main results of the Specific Survey on Employment and Decent Work (ESETD) conducted in 2012) [6] show that the activity rate of the population aged 15–35 is estimated at 56.0%. This rate is very high among young people who have never been to school (80.0%) than those with a higher level (63.0%) or a professional/technical level (56.0%). Three out of five employed young people are selfemployed (60.8%) while the proportion of employees is estimated at 18.2%. Young women (70.3%) and employed people who have never been to school (73.8%) are the most numerous among the self-employed.

The integration rate of young people in formal jobs is very low (16%, of which 20% for men and 12% for women). Informal employment concerns 53.6% of young people with higher education and 51.3% of young people with vocational training. This situation raises questions about the relevance of training for young people. Indeed, according to the ESETD conducted in 2012 [6], the rate of socio-professional integration of young graduates is low (25% for graduates of technical education and vocational training and 24.4% for university graduates The configuration of jobs in Guinea shows a predominance of jobs in the primary sector, which concerns 69.3% of workers, 64% of whom are men and 74% women (ESETD, 2012).

The tertiary sector (mainly commerce) employs 25% of workers, of which 27% are men and 25% are women [8]. However, the secondary sector, which should be the employment sector par excellence for young people, occupies only 5% of the jobs particularly intended for men (9% men and 2% women). The growing mining sector needs a skilled workforce that is currently lacking. Indeed, mining companies have difficulty finding the required skills. This leads this sector to recruit a large part of its workforce in neighboring countries. It appears that to improve the integration rate, Guinea needs to strengthen its vocational training system to meet the real needs of the economy.
