Over half of Cabo Delgado graduates secure career opportunities following graduation from the MozYouth Employment Programme

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Over half of Cabo Delgado graduates secure career opportunities following graduation from the MozYouth Employment Programme

3:30 CAT | 26 Oct 2023

Credit: MozYouth Foundation

MozYouth, a foundation bridging the education-to-employment gap for Mozambican youth, proudly hosted a graduation event to mark the completion of its transformative, six-month MozYouth Employment Programme. The initiative pairs young talents with top employers. More than half of the programme participants have already secured promising job opportunities upon graduation.

The ceremony provides a platform for 21 graduates to showcase their journey to job readiness. It also represents gender parity, with women making up over 50% of the cohort. Local companies in Cabo Delgado, such as Afrox Mozambique Lda, JC Services, and AMT Mozambique, have hired eight program graduates as full-time employees after successful internships. Additionally, four graduates have embraced their entrepreneurial spirit, starting businesses. One graduate opened a small grocery store using their program stipend, an allowance for all interns. Another transformed their acquired technical, business, and interpersonal skills from the programme into a refrigeration repair service.

Mozyouthf.mozyouthfoundation — *Governor of Cabo Delgado Province, Valige Tauabo, presents a recent graduate with her certificate. [Credit: MozYouth Foundation]*

“Through the MozYouth Employment Programme, I’ve acquired new skills, and I’m becoming a leader,” says Alcaia Manuel, a representative for the cohort of graduates. “This programme offers a great opportunity to combine theoretical and practical knowledge.”

The MozYouth Foundation, which changed its name from Mimi Niko Kazi earlier this year, operates nationwide across diverse industries and provinces, offering valuable support to young jobseekers, addressing company employment gaps, and significantly contributing to regional economic growth.

“In Cabo Delgado, we don’t want any young person to be unemployed,” says the Governor of Cabo Delgado Province, Valige Tauabo. “We want youth to feel like they have the right tools to contribute and be successful in the job market.” The Governor reinforced the commitment of Cabo Delgado’s private sector to creating new jobs. He says he hopes to see larger cohorts of young people in Cabo Delgado regularly graduating from the programme.

Mozyouthf.mozyouth — *MozYouth Employment Programme graduation ceremony held at Hotel Avani in Pemba, Cabo Delgado Province. [Credit: MozYouth Foundation]*

Eligibility for the MozYouth Employment Programme extends to young people aged 18-35. The registration process is straightforward, and candidates can apply online via a user-friendly portal. When a candidate’s profile is approved, the programme team evaluates the alignment between the candidate’s skills and the specific requirements of over 100+ partner companies. When there’s a match, the MozYouth Employment Programme connects the job seeker with the potential employer. Extra to weekly stipends, the MozYouth Employment Programme provides accident insurance and comprehensive training to enhance work readiness. Workshop sessions cover health and safety, soft skill development like communication and mediation, and employability aptitudes, where interns practice resume writing and interview preparation.

General Director of MozParks, Onorio Manuel, says the graduation ceremony marks a significant milestone for job opportunities in Cabo Delgado. “Be disciplined, be dedicated, and work hard—these qualities will help young people excel in the workplace.”

The MozYouth Employment Programme is made possible through generous support from the Irish Embassy. The founding members of the MozYouth Foundation include MozParks, represented by Chairman Adrian Frey; FNB Mozambique, represented by CEO Peter Blenkinsop; Hollard Mozambique, represented by CEO Henri Mittermeyer; together with board members Agnaldo Laice, Director General of Twigg Exploration and Mining; and Christian Roeder, CEO of DP World, Maputo.

“Through the development of this foundation, we reinforce our determination that the employment opportunities and capacity building that the MozYouth program brings to young Mozambicans will result in a better future,” says CEO of Hollard Mozambique, Henri Mittermeyer. “Hollard will continue to invest in the development of people and companies in Mozambique.”