Seventy young Cameroonian graduates, from the fifth promotion of the Professional Internship Program within the execution units of projects financed by the African Development Bank Group, received their certificates of completion of internship on 20 March. The graduation took place at Amphitheater 300 of the Ministry of Economy, Planning and Regional Development in Yaoundé, in the presence of several personalities

Established in 2018, the Professional Internship Program aims to strengthen the employability of young people and involve them in the implementation of major development projects in the country.

More than just an internship, this program allows young graduates to confront realities on the ground and acquire solid skills in strategic sectors such as infrastructure, agriculture, agriculture, environment, communication and project management. It also promotes the acquisition of transversal skills, particularly in economic analysis, monitoring and evaluation, gender, the strategic approach to sustainable development and the management of interpersonal and professional relationships

“The objective is to bring young graduates closer to the professional world, and enable them to put their academic skills into practice, and above all, strengthen their employability by exposing them to demanding and stimulating environments”, said Solomane Koné, the interim CEO of the African Development Bank Group. development for the Central African region

In addition to acquiring technical and managerial skills, interns develop a true leadership spirit and a better understanding of development challenges. Their testimonies highlight the transformative impact of this experience, both on their professional career and on the communities benefiting from the projects.

Marcelle Epoh, a communication intern at the Cameroon and Chad Electricity Network Interconnection Project, praised the skills acquired during her time in the project: “My internship was a great opportunity to learn and acquire a real competence in social safeguards and violence based You're about gender. I contributed to making information about the project more accessible to local communities. I understood that communication is an essential lever for the adherence of populations to development projects.

Representing the young laureates at the ceremony, Rosine Mabaom also praised the social impact of the program: “As a gender intern, I ensured that the specific needs of women and vulnerable groups were integrated into the Project for the Development of the Value Chains of the Livestock and fish farming. During a supervisory mission in the east of the country, we called for the creation of infirmaries providing subsidized sanitary pads to female students in agricultural incubation, an essential initiative for their social inclusion and academic success.

For the beneficiaries, these internships are a revelation, an immersion in the heart of the challenges of national development and a springboard to employment. “Working in the Unit for jointly financed road projects (Ministry of Public Works and African Development Bank), allowed me to go beyond the purely technical aspects of IT. I understood that digital systems can be integrated into large infrastructures to improve their efficiency,” said Adamou Massama