A large number of unemployed youth in the Western Region had a rare opportunity to come into direct contact with business owners and private companies for employment avenues during the region’s maiden job and career fair.
The fair was put together by the Youth Employment Agency (YEA) in collaboration with the Presidential Advisory Unit on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG’s) and the Western Regional Coordinating Council.
It was also partnered by the Netherlands Development Organization, SNV’s ‘GrEEn Job’ programme.
It formed part of efforts by the YEA to provide an opportunity for employers to have access to qualified job seekers to fill vacant positions in their organisations.
In all, about 115 private companies which had about 400 vacancies, attended the fair which was the fourth in the series organized by the YEA.
The first three were organized in Accra, Koforidua, and Tamale.
Companies from different sectors of the economy, including banking and finance, academia, pharmaceutical, security, food, engineering, information, and communications technology, and waste management mounted booths to engage and shortlist job seekers for employment.
Persons with viable business ideas or proposals were taken through an Entrepreneurship Pitching, where viable proposals were given the needed technical support.
The job seekers were also taken through various career talk sessions, writing of curriculum vitae (CV), how to prepare for interviews, and other pre-employment services.
The Western Regional Minister, Kwabena Okyere Darko-Mensah, who launched the fair noted that the initiative rightly fitted into the vision of the Regional Coordinating Council.
He mentioned the vision as Entrepreneurial Governance System, Enterprise Western Region, and mainstreaming the youth through the SDGs to access job opportunities.
He said the government was poised in fulfilling goal eight of the sustainable development goals which focuses on providing decent jobs at the doorstep of the people, hence the Job fair.
“I expect that the Youth of the region will take advantage of the Job fair and exploit the opportunity to get into direct contact with business owners and private companies for employment avenues”, he stated.
The Director of Corporate Affairs at the YEA, Emmanuel Kwasi Afriyie said for the prospective job seekers, the Fair served as a turning point in their lives as a result of the booming oil and gas businesses that have the potential to employ more of the youth.
He noted that a seminar on job creation, career advice, and Entrepreneurial pitch enabled the youth to acquire business ideas to venture into self-employment.
Yaw Amoabeng, Regional Coordinator of the YEA was happy that the region’s event was very successful.
From Emmanuel Opoku, Takoradi