Disseminating job information, sharpening skills, financing self-employment, and placing job seekers are some of the goals for which a giant billboard has been erected at the University of Buea (UB) recently.

To confirm the timeliness of the initiative, hundreds of students immediately responded with ovation and zeal to read the billboard installed by the National Employment Fund (NEF) in the UB campus. Madam Comfort Kamara, Inter-mediation Officer, guided the students on how to exploit the billboard. The installation of the billboard on 21 June pulled the UB Administration and the experts of the employment office on a round table to reflect on how to better orientate the community of 16.000 students for the job market.

On the occasion, the UB Vice Chancellor, Nalova Lyonga Ph.D, spoke of a serial programme whereby the experts of employment would come to the campus and hold talks directly with students so they can get their questions answered on job openings. She expressed delight that a permanent job-seeking corner henceforth exists in the campus and called on students to make maximum use of the facility.

The manager of the Limbe branch of NEF, Mrs Vera Njembelle, addressed the UB Officials segmenting the job market into two major types, notably salaried jobs and self-employment ventures. She drew attention to the content of the billboard to include sample curriculum vitae writing, knowledge of the job market, writing a motivation letter, making it at the interview, and the different stages to go through to become a business person. Mrs Njembelle promised to extend the initiative which she tagged as “OPP” to other learning institutions to assist the youth in career placement.