Tomorrow, they will stand as the visible pillars of a once-invisible sector. In the DRC, artisans have long operated in the informal sector—unrecognized, unprotected, and with little opportunity for advancement. That reality is now beginning to change. With the official launch of the certification process by the Club BTP & CMA, Congolese artisans are transitioning from makeshift workers to recognized professionals.
A Dynamic Already Underway, A Structured Future Ahead
The transformation will be gradual, but the first signs are already evident. Thanks to a strategic partnership with the company DGC, a pilot cohort of 80 artisans was certified at KAMOA COPPER SA, in the Haut-Katanga province. This concrete initiative paves the way for a broader national certification process, led by the Club and its partners.
The recent signing of a tripartite agreement between the Club BTP CMA, the ARSP (Regulatory Authority for Subcontracting), and the Ministry of Vocational Training will further strengthen the legitimacy of the process. It will ensure that certified artisans are integrated into projects governed by national subcontracting laws.
From Experience to Qualification
The Club BTP CMA will implement a system for recognizing prior learning (RPL), combined with targeted training programs, to professionalize existing skills. Each assessed artisan will receive a qualification certificate issued under the authority of the CMA, confirming their level and area of expertise.
The first official award ceremonies for these certificates will mark a new era: that of the formal, reliable Congolese artisan, eligible to work on major national projects.
“The day I received my certificate at Kamoa, I realized that my trade finally had value in the eyes of the country,” said a certified welder from the group.
A Lasting Economic and Social Impact
Ultimately, certification will give artisans access to structured markets, inclusion in professional databases, and support in managing their activities.
They will see improved incomes, establish micro-enterprises, and train new apprentices—thus creating a virtuous cycle of skills and local employment.
A National Strategy in Expansion
The Club BTP CMA will gradually establish specialized training centers in major cities and mining zones. These centers will welcome young people eager to master manual trades in a rigorous, certifying environment.
This strategy aligns with a vision of national emergence through vocational trades, in line with the DRC’s ambitions for industrialization and economic sovereignty.
Provisional Conclusion:
From Kamoa Copper to Special Economic Zones, the certified Congolese artisan will become a key player in the national value chain. The Club BTP CMA is laying the foundations for a formal, skilled, and proudly recognized artisan workforce.
