As part of activities gearing up to the 57th edition of youth day celebrations in Cameroon, the National Employment Fund and the NW Regional Assembly have engaged youths in the Northwest region in a 2 day learning session, engaging them in different workshops to enable them sharpen their skills and put on thinking caps as far as career choices are concerned.
According to the City Mayor represented, youths lack confidence in themselves which prevents their integration into the professional world. The National Employment Fund and the NWRA organized an open door day activity to inform youths on the various programs or methods that exist in their favour.
Sensitize them on good professional orientation and training, equally create partnership with employers in the Job market to promote professional training for the youths
"It is important to invite the youths to visit the National Employment Fund where they can be trained and offered financial assistance to
start up their own enterprises, create job opportunities for other youths".
The City Mayor requested that more of such activitie be encouraged to keep youths away from clandestine behaviours, to have professional orientation and a mastery of their trade to enter easily into the job market.
The youths showed a sign of committement by their massive turn out for the open door day activity. It created an open space to sensitize youths on recent development programs of the NEF, expose them on professional orientation and showed them need to have a mastery of training. This is to enhance and consolidate partnerships with actors of the employment market in order to promote them.
During those 2 days the National Employment Fund exposed youths to some of the services they offer; professional orientation, sectorial Career lectures and employment related conferences, job seeking techniques, animation on project writing.
According to the NEF, the security and health crisis has impeded some of their activities.
The commissioner for Education, Sport and Cultural development, represented the President of the Northwest Regional Assembly, Prof Fru Angwafo III emphasized on the opportunities provided to the youths of the region given the synergy between the structure and NEF.
"The excercise was aimed at giving the youths in the region an opportunity to have access to information needed to build capacity; morally, in a civic dimension and also to build entrepreneurial skills which was required by youths at the completion of their studies".
North West Regional Director, National Employment Fund Chifor Moma reminded the youths of the need to sit and have aa rethink on career choices.
"The youths have followed career lectures and learnt about the role of NEF, strategies in the promotion of youth employment. Activities were carried out to assist them make up their minds as to which Career to persue".
"They must devote time for self evaluation, critically examining the career option, look at the job market and try to narrow down their choices. Any wrong decision taken today affects their career in the future. Youths, as u embark on this know that u are not alone. The NEF will be available to assist u in career guiding, treatment of level market information, training and self employment sponsorships.".
To discourage negative use of social media handles, branding others than their own talents, Dr Manka Tabuwe one of the facilitators, drilled on Information Communication Technology. Turning the online space to their own advantage, to shun from negative use of the internet and rather use the online space to market their products and talent in order to earn a living for themselves.
Some of the topics the youths were exposed to are development and sustainability of small and medium size enterprises/entrepreneurship, agriculture and transformation. Workshops on job techniques, project writing and also health tips from the Hiv control team.