In Morocco the need for well-trained, certified truck drivers is growing. The country wants to strengthen its position as a regional transport hub. At the same time it has major problems with traffic accidents and deaths on the road.
In order to improve traffic safety and make Morocco’s roads safer, the government has decided to start a school for truck drivers.
The school, which will be located in Casablanca, is a collaboration between the Volvo Group, the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation UNIDO and the American development agency USAID. An official ceremony was recently held to launch the project. The first students are expected to start their training at the beginning of next year.
“We are proud to be involved in the project and to help the Moroccan government with this important issue. By training local people, we are supporting sustainable growth in the countries where the Volvo Group does business,” says Johan Reiman, who is responsible for apprenticeships and driver training within the group in Africa.
The plan is to train around 500 professional drivers over the next four years in subjects such as safe and fuel-efficient driving. The Volvo Group is providing vehicles, equipment and teacher training. The group companies Volvo Trucks, Volvo Buses and Renault Trucks are cooperating on the training programme.
This is the second school for truck drivers that the Volvo Group is involved in. The first driver training programme will start in June of this year when a school for around 500 students is opened in Ethiopia.
The Volvo Group has also been running apprenticeships for mechanics in Africa since 2013. There is a major shortage of mechanics in many African countries, while unemployment levels are often high. The first school was started in Ethiopia and several groups of students have now completed the course there. In 2015 a similar school was opened in Zambia and also one in Morocco.
2018-04-10
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The Volvo Group is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of trucks, buses, construction equipment and marine and industrial engines. The Group also provides complete solutions for financing and service. The Volvo Group, which employs almost 100,000 people, has production facilities in 18 countries and sells its products in more than 190 markets. In 2017 the Volvo Group’s sales amounted to about SEK 335 billion (EUR 35 billion). The Volvo Group is a publicly-held company headquartered in Göteborg, Sweden. Volvo shares are listed on Nasdaq Stockholm. For more information, please visit www.volvogroup.com.