Over 1,200 job-seekers turned up for the second edition of the annual job exhibition in Kigali, dubbed ‘Job Net’, on Tuesday.

According to Samuel Mulindwa, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Public Service, the fair was aimed at linking job seekers to potential employers.

Job Net is part of national employment creation initiatives such as the National Employment Programme (NEP), and small and medium enterprises, locally known as Agakiriro.

"Job Net gives the youth a chance to network with employers, but also gives companies a chance to choose potential employees from a range of graduates,” he said at the event held at Petit Stade, in Remera.

Fifty companies, including hotels, insurance and telecommunication companies, banks and manufacturing companies participated in the fair.

It was jointly organised by Kigali Employment Service Centre (KESC) in partnership with the Ministry of Public Service and Labour, Private Sector Federation (PSF), and GIZ, a German development agency.

KESC has found employment for about 270 in the last two years, according to Aloys Niyonsaba, the Manager.

Mulindwa urged the companies present to create more jobs for the youth, adding that the government is looking at exporting labour to create linkages with the international labour markets and spoke of plans to involve foreign companies in the annual fair in the future.

Hope Tumukunde, the Vice Mayor for Social Affairs in the City of Kigali, noted that, KESC also offers career guidance, entrepreneurial training and industrial attachments

‘‘We encourage our graduates to register with KESC to increase job opportunities,” said Solange Umulisa, the Deputy Country Director of Akilah Institute for Women.

Umulisa added that they have helped 90 per cent of their graduates to get jobs in Rwanda and abroad.

Dieudonne Kabanda, the Head Trainer in Competence-based Economy through Formation Enterprises (CEFE), said that there is much more to be done in case one is not employed.

"We are here to remind job-seekers that there is another option besides job hunting. That is job creation.’’

We have helped more than 2,500 youths to create jobs and we want to bring more on board,” he added.

The job-seekers lauded the opportunity to network with employers at the event.

"It is good that the government thinks about the unemployed. I gave out my curriculum vitea (CV) and I hope to be contacted for a job,” said Alphonsine Zaninka.

Zaninka, 40, said that she left her teaching job for university studies which she completed last year.

Jean Baptiste Baranyika, a bachelor’s degree holder in Environmental Chemistry, said the event increased his chances for employment.

"I submitted my CVs and I believe I will be contacted for job interviews very soon,” he said.

Baranyika urged the youth to exploit the employment opportunities.

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