Burundi’s first career fair

The Young Burundian Leaders Network (YBLN) are organizing a career fair that will be held at Spring Valley in Gihosha Commune opposite of Mont Sion Gikungu on 30 January 2015. Its objective is to make it possible for high school students to meet company representatives in person, which a great opportunity for enhanced knowledge and information.-By Lorraine Josiane Manishatse

Members of Young Burundian Leaders Network with the United States Ambassador in Burundi Ms Dawn Liberi ©Iwacu

The Young Burundian Leaders Network (YBLN), which was formed in 2014 with assistance from the United States Embassy in Burundi, is a network of highly motivated individuals from all sectors of Burundian society, working together to improve the Burundian community. On 30 January 2015, they will organize Burundi’s first annual career fair. Its objective is to provide graduating high school students with access to information about universities and about employment beyond the academic setting.

“We want to help graduating high school students to find what to do in the future, because they are often confused. They don’t know exactly what to do, what next. They have dreams and ambitions, but they don’t know the reality. We organize the career fair to shine a light for those students in order to enable them to see reality and prepare for their future early” Alice Niyonkuru, the Community Project Coordinator, says. According to her, the career fair will help students identify a career path for their lives according to their ambitions, dreams and capabilities.

Students will have the opportunity to meet and network with company representatives in person, get reality based-knowledge and information, learn more about companies of interest, explore possible career options, have a vision for their future and be oriented with a goal to pursue after high school. “Organization representatives will be able to inform students what is required of them in the professional world, what steps can be taken to pursue their dreams and the type of academic profiles an employer expects. For high school students, this can change the course of their entire lives”, finishes Niyonkuru.

She affirms that through the career guidance, young people will be able to make life changing decisions about their future and further impact Burundi’s economy.