Minister of Youth and Civic Education and acting Minister of Employment and Vocational Training, Mounouna Foutsou, presided over the opening ceremony of the North Region’s Careers Fair and mini job fair on September 18, 2026, in Garoua.
Hosted at the Institute for Professional Training of Social Workers and Humanitarian Action (IFTSAH), the landmark event aimed to connect local youth directly with training, employment, and entrepreneurship opportunities. Aligned with Cameroon’s National Development Strategy 2030 (SND30) and import-substitution goals, the initiative focuses on closing the gap between vocational skills instruction and current labor market demands.
Addressing administrative leaders, business executives, and thousands of young participants, Mounouna Foutsou highlighted the imperative of ensuring training directly generates viable job prospects. Rather than simply expanding training capacity, the government’s approach prioritizes practical economic utility and local business needs. The event forms a core component of the ORFEV-JEUNES program, which is actively expanding on-the-ground support for young job seekers across the North region.
Initial results from the regional rollout demonstrate strong momentum, with 1,845 young people enrolled across various northern departments and 38 local enterprises engaged to map out hiring opportunities. Ground-level outreach is further supported by Municipal Employment Offices (BEMs), with nine offices already created or in development across 42.85% of local municipalities, five of which are fully operational. These local centers serve as frontline hubs to guide youth toward market-relevant trades and self-employment.
The Careers Fair offered dynamic displays from major regional economic drivers, including SODECOTON, MEADEN, MTN, ART, and Touristique Express, spanning agriculture, telecommunications, digital technology, and transport. Live practical skill demonstrations—such as traditional weaving at the GAARADI Center—emphasized practical craft and technical vocations. Demonstrating international backing, German cooperation partners awarded educational and professional kits to the top 50 graduates from MINEFOP centers to help them launch immediate income-generating activities.
The Garoua gathering also served as the platform for the official launch of the regional committee for the “One Young Person, One Trade, One Job” (JEME) program. By consolidating partnerships between government agencies, training institutes, and private enterprise, the initiative seeks to establish a sustainable framework for youth guidance and workforce readiness. Moving forward, the goal remains sustaining this momentum to ensure vocational training continues to drive local economic growth under the SND30 framework.
