Sonia Ibidhi is the founder of Sonia Flowers, an agricultural company in Tabarka that specializes in the production and cultivation of edible flowers. The company is the first and only producer of edible flowers in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region.

Having completed studies in journalism, Mrs. Ibidhi embarked on a career as a journalist, during which time she conducted research for an article that sparked her interest in launching her own company in 2018.

Despite the fact that I had dropped out of school at a very young age, I was determined to enroll in a vocational training course to obtain a diploma. I knew it would help me find work. I had to choose between training in clothing design or as a kitchen assistant. Since I cook at home for my family, I wanted to learn a totally new skill. So, I enrolled in an Elementary Clothing Design training at the Sbeitla vocational training center. After obtaining my Professional Qualification Certificate (Certificat d'Aptitude Professionnelle), I wanted to go a step further.

Houssem Khemir is the founder and general manager of Altutex, a 100% textile-exporting manufacturer in the north-east Cap Bon region.

Mr. Khemir successfully completed his education as a methods technician in 1996. He gained valuable professional experience through two years of employment in textile companies.

I ended up at the Sidi Bouzid vocational training center by chance, having left the conventional school system. I wanted to give it a try to avoid being left without a job or training.

As a result, I obtained a professional technician's diploma in agri-food and I'd like to become a quality controller one day because it's a job that's very much in demand.

"Not graduating from high school wasn't really a big deal for me, because I knew the classic academic pathway was not for me. So I had to find another path that would suit my unique interests. I decided to enroll in a vocational training course in agri-food at the Sidi Bouzid vocational training center.

Emna Jellouli’s career has taken an unexpected path. Today, she is the co-founder and chief marketing officer of Smart Med SA, the start-up which has developed the e-health platform med.tn. She began her career with a master's degree in biotechnology from the Faculty of Sciences of Tunis, joining her family’s business in distribution of medical equipment. In this role, she led the company to expand, including manufacturing and exporting medical sinks.

Zouheir Derouiche is the co-founder of Royal Plants, a plant nursery in the village of Sidi Madhkour, Haouaria that supplies seedlings and fertilizer to Tunisian farmers.

Mr. Derouiche developed a passion for farming at an early age and always had his sights set on a career in agriculture. After earning a degree in agronomy from the Advanced School of Agriculture in Kef, he joined El Bosten, a plant nursery in El Haouaria, working as a technical director and project manager. 

I come from a family of engineers and doctors, which made it challenging to convince my father that pursuing a technician’s certificate in horticulture was the right move for me. 

Driven by my passion for agriculture and a desire to prove myself to my family, I dedicated myself to excelling in my first two years of training. Despite lacking an agricultural background and not owning any farmland, I am fortunate to live close to a well-equipped training center. This center offers comprehensive theoretical and practical training sessions, complimented by e-learning modules.  

Haythem Ben Abdessalem is the general manager of Fracama, a manufacturing company in El Mghira, Ben Arous that specializes in producing auto accessories, such as headrests and gear levers.