It can take up to four years after leaving school for young people in Benin to find their first job. Since 2007, the Government of Benin has been attempting to reduce youth unemployment. Initiatives include providing young people with entrepreneurship education and work experience. However, these interventions remain limited, are generally for people who have finished school, and their effects are not yet clearly known. A team of local researchers sought to investigate whether working before leaving school can help youth transition more easily into Benin’s labour market. Their results indicate that working while studying eases the school-to-work transition. This is particularly true for men with at least a secondary education. The transition spell is further reduced when working-while-studying experiences are combined with apprenticeships.
Find out more about the research methods, findings and policy recommendations in the following PEP publications:
