Industrial and commercial job training for women in Morocco : final report

OFPPT programs usually reserved for men were successfully reoriented - 484 women were trained under the project (another 176 are to graduate in 6/84), and the total number of women trainees in the OFPPT system increased from 729 in 1979 to 2,178 in 1983; the number of female teachers doubled. AMIDEAST helped revise industrial drafting, electricity/electronics, and business education curricula (also introducing English-language classes in the latter); trained teachers in-service and at seminars; provided student counseling (including pre-training outreach and post-training follow-up); procured training equipment; and completed two large research projects - a nationwide labor market survey and a study of socioeconomic constraints facing women. Female trainees performed well, few of the anticipated tensions between male and female students arose, and 70% of graduates were placed. However, the job placement unit established under the project needs strengthening, and OFPPT plans to discontinue the project"s elaborate selection procedures when funding ends. U.S. training was provided as follows: (1) 6 women received M.S. degrees in human resources, social psychology, or vocational education (4 have returned to OFPPT administrative posts); (2) 6 women and 4 men completed a 1-year program in electronics, electricity, and drafting and are now OFPPT instructors; and (3) 3 M.S. candidates (in computer science, and civil and electrical engineering) will return to teaching positions or to work at OFPPT"s data processing division. OFPPT cooperation was satisfactory, except for its refusal to provide dormitory space for women. Project experience highlights several issues: (1) the AMIDEAST-OFPPT contract was borne in haste and often ambiguous, raising concerns as to the wisdom of host country contracting; (2) conduct of the final external project evaluation, with which AMIDEAST takes exception, was characterized by haste and expediency; and (3) AMIDEAST suffered financially while implementing the project, due to A.I.D."s refusal to adjust the overhead rate. Recommendations are made for OFPPT follow-on activities.