In total, nine companies from the TechniTextile Québec cluster actively participated in this virtual recruitment mission. A collaborative project managed jointly by TechniTextile Québec and the CSMO textile, and led by talent attraction professionals from Drummond Économique and the The Tunisian Agency for Technical Cooperation (ATCT).
While the employers remained in Quebec to conduct interviews via teleconference, Dany Charest, General Manager of TechniTextile Québec, and Julie Rainville, talent attraction advisor for Drummond Économique, were physically present in Tunisia to support the ATCT and the participants.
To fill the 35 positions, which range from various textile machine operators to industrial sewing machine operators, including mechanics, 23,000 applications were analyzed by Mr. Imed ABDENNOUR, recruitment director of cooperants, and his team at the ATCT. Consequently, 288 quality applications were selected and met one after the other by their potential employers during the five days of the mission.
On the sidelines of this important mission and thanks to the logistical support of the ATCT, TechniTextile Québec took the opportunity to explore the Tunisian textile innovation ecosystem.
Thus, three training schools were visited. Starting with the Sectoral Training Center in Clothing in Manouba, which trains specialized technicians. Then, the Higher Institute of Technological Studies in Ksar-Hellal and the National Engineering School of Monastir, where several textile engineers are trained. At the end of these visits, we understood why the reputation of the students trained in Tunisia is well established in Quebec. The quality of the programs and equipment is impressive.
We also discovered the strategic role that the Monastir-El Fejja competitiveness cluster will play in the development of the Tunisian textile sector. Cutting-edge facilities are well established there to incubate start-up companies, but also to welcome companies from all over the world coming to invest in Tunisia, notably because of its ecosystem and skilled labor.
Thanks to the pooling of significant resources, such as dyeing, finishing, and embellishing installations, for example, the Monastir governorate aims to develop its weaving and knitting capacities while minimizing capital investments for companies. This will allow for the continued development of the Tunisian textile sector. A sector considered strategic by Tunisia as it employs 160,000 people across 1,600 companies and remains to this day its main economic activity.
Interestingly, 80% of Tunisia's textile and clothing companies are actually garment workshops. Consequently, this makes it an industry that imports its fabrics massively and could offer Quebec significant opportunities for collaboration in exports, subcontracting, or even foreign investment.
We also discovered the Sahel 2TS Technical Textile Cluster. Just like in Quebec, the technical textile sector represents a significant niche of innovation and development that mobilizes nearly 250 companies and 28,000 professionals. The niche is also a priority in the sustainable development strategy 2035 prepared by the Ministry of Industry.
Finally, the company Ortho Tunisia opened its doors to us for a presentation of its activities and a most interesting factory tour. Integrated by more than 80%, Ortho Tunisia is a totally exporting company founded in 2001, specialized in the manufacture of orthopedic products and employing more than 600 people.
Naturally, all these meetings were the setting for discussions of possible collaborations. Therefore, it is highly likely that in the near future, follow-ups will be given to these exchanges.
To discover this collaborative project carried out by TechniTextile Québec, CSMO Textile, and Drummond Économique, consult the following articles:
Vidéo Youtube sur l'ambiance de la mission
2023-2024 Tunisia Recruitment Mission - Calls for employers in the textile sector | TechniTextile
