Youths in some employment and vocational training centres in Cameroon with a calling in geotechnical trades will within the next five years have their training catapulted to another level thanks to collaboration between the Ministry of Employment and Vocational Training, MINEFOP, and the National Civil Engineering Laboratory, Labogenie.

Government and the outfit signed a five-year agreement last Friday February 20 to that effect.

Minister Zacharie Perevet and Philippe Nouanga, Director General of Labogenie signed a collaboration partnership agreement on Friday February 20, 2015 with the aim of getting some youths in the geotechnical sector to make up for the projected 350,000 jobs creation in the ongoing fiscal year as announced by the Head of State in his address to the youths on the eve of the 49th National Youth Day.

Under the terms of the agreement, Labogenie will assist government in developing training courses; receive learners at the end of their training from vocational training centres approved by government in its services for work-study internships.

The youths will also receive guidance at the end of their training towards building and public works companies and in firms for pre-employment internships.

Labogenie will also provide professionals for theoretical and practical course, coordination of educational talks, exchange and discussions in vocational training centres. Teachers from vocational training centres will equally be retrained. The agreement will last five years and is renewable by tacit consent.

Coming at a time the country is into infrastructural transformation with projects either in place or being envisaged, MINEFOP’s Zacharie Perevet said reinforcing training in the public work’s sector was indispensable.

The already existing problem of qualified manpower in filling certain positions in such projects now lies in the hands of Labogenie, a structure he holds high to for its professionalism and efficiency.

Labogenie's Philippe Nouanga remains confident. He stressed that government knocked at the right door especially at a time the role of geotechnicians was crucial in the country’s development drive.