NW Regional Assembly, National Employment Fund orientate youth on careers.

Organised by the North West Regional Assembly in partnership with the Regional branch of National Employment Fund, NEF, the event ran from February 9 to 11.

Participants comprised students from secondary schools, universities and other youth institutions.

According to the North West Regional Director of National Employment Fund, NEF, Chifor Moma, the initiative started by the General Manager of the fund, brings to the door steps of youth, services offered by the institution.

"Our services include professional orientation, sectorial career lectures and employment-related conferences, job seeking techniques and initiation to project writing," Chifor explained.

He added that: "The 2023 open door activity for youth had as objective to sensitise them on the recent development programmes, sensitise the youth on the importance of good professional orientation and the need to have a mastery of their training. It also aimed at enhancing and consolidating partnership with all actors of the employment market to promote the socio-professional insertion of youths".

As the sponsor of the initiative, the North West Regional Assembly Commissioner for Education, Prof Fri Anjoh Rose, reiterated the institution’s commitment to build the capacities of youth, considered to be future leaders.

"The Regional Assembly found it worthy to take on this initiative to enable youth in the region have an opportunity to access information needed to choose meaningful careers and not only rely on government for jobs after graduation. Building the entrepreneurial skills of these youth is very important and will push them identify solutions to problems within their communities," Prof Anjoh said.

Participants received career lectures on Information and Communication Technology, non-governmental organisations, careers in agriculture and a conference talk on the development and sustainability of small and medium-sized enterprises.

The participants saluted the North West Regional Assembly and National Employment Fund for bringing such an educative activity to their door steps.

A student of Government Bilingual High Schoo,l Downtown – Bamenda, Prosper Tih said: "I have gained much knowledge after attending these open door activity for two days. I now understand how to better use my ICT tools, how to identify a problem and think of a solution within my community. I am leaving here knowing after graduating from school, I will be an entrepreneur".

Representing the Bamenda City Mayor, the Secretary General of Bamenda City Council, Suly Kwatila Dzevesen, called for more of such activities to be organised for youth in the region.

"While saluting the North West Regional Assembly for sponsoring such an initiative in partnership with National Employment Fund, I encourage you to organise more of such to keep our youth focused on what they intend to do in the future and avoid deviant behaviours," he said.

The Governor of the North West Region, Adolphe Lele L'afrique, extended words of congratulations to the organisers and enjoined the students to make use of the knowledge acquired during the activity so as to be better entrepreneurs in the future. 

National Employment Fund used the occasion to educate participants on its services and achievements for the year 2022.

"Six hundred and eighty six job seekers were received and oriented while 384 were inserted into the job market with some enterprise visits carried out although with challenges posed by the Anglophone crisis," the Regional Director for NEF said.

The National Employment Fund was created by a presidential decree in 1990 with an overall mission to promote employment. It is an operational tool of the Ministry of Employment and Vocational Training in delivering job search support.