“Absent trainers”
Other disappointed former students, wishing to remain anonymous, also sent us unflattering testimonials about these training courses. “I absolutely do not recommend MolenGeek to anyone looking to really progress in their fieldindicates one of them. The trainers were constantly absent. A real waste of time and money.”.
For Ibrahim Ouassari, one of the founders and current boss of MolenGeek, these criticisms are a “non-issue”. “It’s complicated to respond to anonymous people, explains the Molenbeek resident. Someone who speaks to me with a balaclava in the street, I don’t answer them. They’re looking for the little beast.”
400 young people trained in 2024
And the manager recalled that MolenGeek has trained more than 1,500 students in almost ten years of existence, with 50% of them finding a job within six months after their training, according to Actiris figures, and 35% who continue their studies or launch into entrepreneurship. “We are moving up a gear since 400 young people will be trained in 2024. So, yes, we had to fire two or three people who brought a very negative spirit into the training. They are undoubtedly the same ones who spread their frustrations on Internet The person who broadcasts this rap against MolenGeek has obviously learned something from us, since the piece was created via artificial intelligence which is part of our training, he quips. According to Ibrahim Ouassari, negative comments on Google reviews come from “false names”. “This could be the same person who gives several negative opinions.”
The new MolenGeek branch dedicated to AI inaugurated in Laeken in the presence of the King.
Another criticism that comes up regularly is that the non-profit organization is “drowned” by public subsidies. “This is not the case”replies the co-founder. Since 2015, we have received 2.2 million euros in subsidies: this only corresponds to 9% of our total funding. In Antwerp or Charleroi, we have no help from the regions concerned, namely Flemish and Walloon. MolenGeek can also count on generous private donors, like Google (1 million euros financed since the creation of MolenGeek) and other giants like Meta (Facebook) or the JP Morgan bank. “But we also have our own revenues that we are increasingly trying to develop. We are, for example, on a collaboration project with the Belgian Defense in terms of cybersecurity.”
Another new feature is SideGeek, a platform connecting students from the start of their training with companies. “Profiles are anonymous, neither name nor face is available to the companyinsisted M. Ouassari. Anonymity promotes inclusion in hiring”. MolenGeek earns a commission on each engagement.
gullIt frustrates some people to see that an Ibrahim without a diploma is part of the board of directors of a large company like Proximus.”
Slovakia, France, other cities in northeastern Morocco (“those where the majority of the Moroccan diaspora in Belgium comes from”): there is no shortage of plans to open new schools for MolenGeek. His boss remains the subject of regular attacks. Some have accused him of being close to radical Islamism. “It’s nonsensehe reacts. The fact that my name is Ibrahim must probably be annoying. I’m being targeted on social media, but I don’t care. People refuse to see a certain reality of society, that young people from Molenbeek can get by and are not good for nothing.
A first baron of North African origin, a news presenter, Ibrahim Ouassari: discover the noble favors granted
The appointment of Ibrahim Ouassari to the board of directors of Proximus by the MR also caused a lot of ink to flow. “For some, the world is just communism or capitalism. There is nothing else. Life is more nuanced. Personally I consider myself a left-wing liberal. I believe enormously in entrepreneurship and technologies.”. And to conclude: “It frustrates some people to see that an Ibrahim without a diploma is part of the board of directors of a large company like Proximus.”
==> Find the interview with Ibrahim Ouassari in the Mag Eco program (below)
