The North West Regional Assembly in collaboration with the National Employment Fund have begun a two days training program to drill youths on how to be gainfully employed and how to face the job market.

One of the facilitators, Dr Manka Tabuwe, drilling the youths on Information Communication Technology

The two days training that started today February 9, is expected to school about five hundred youths drawn from within the North West Region.

The North West Regional Director of the National Employment Fund, Chifor Moma explained that the participants at this workshop will be equally drilled on project writing. “We are here with staff of National Employment Fund, to drill these youths on how to develop projects, how to write projects and even give them information on how to go for funding.”

North West Regional Director, National Employment Fund

Chifor Moma reminded the youths that although insecurity in the region has accounted for a drop in job seekers, the doors of the National Employment Fund are wide open for them to benefit from their services. “We put our services out for them to understand that the government has a lot in store for them. We have services ranging from inter mediation training and self employment.”

The Commissioner for education, sports and cultural development for the NWRA, Prof Anjoh Fri Manyi Rose while representing the President of the assembly said lack of proper orientation accounts for some youths inability to gain employment. “…most of the youths lack employment, they lack jobs because they are not properly oriented and it is in this line that the Regional assembly of the North West got into partnership with the national employment fund to bring the youths of the region about 500 of them and train them on the skills they will require to face the job market.”

Prof Anjoh Fri Manyi Rose

The commissioner used the forum to urge the youths to acquire more training and seek professional guidance to boost their chances of grabbing opportunities in the job market. She blamed the failure of some youths in examinations for not properly preparing. To this, she reiterated on the need for them to be well equipped with knowledge before facing any competitive examination. “If you are going for a professional exam, you need to prepare.”

During this first day of training, the youths received career lecture on information and communication technology, agriculture and transformation, how the National Employment Fund works amongst others.

Youths taking a tour through exhibition stands

The National Employment Fund was set up in 1990 and went operational in 1991. The structure has as mission to disseminate information on the job market, integrate into the production channel of young Cameroonians who are seeking for jobs, re-intergrate workers retrenched from enterprises of the public/private sectors, amongst others. They also provide technical assistance to bearders of self employment and micro undertaking projects.

By Sandrine M.