At Buea Skill Festival: Youths Told To Pursue Skills Not Jobs

By Hope Nda

Some youths, mainly from Buea, have showcased different skills in music, dancing, acting, poetry, and others in a Skill Festival during which they were encouraged to seek “marketable skills” and not pursue jobs.

The Skill Festival, which was organised by the Cameroon Youth Assembly at Biaka University Institute of Buea, last Friday, October 30, brought together dozens of talented and skilful young people who showcased their skills.

The event was meant to showcase to youths what others are doing so they can be motivated to do same, and to tell stakeholders, especially employers, that the youths have skills to offer, according to the event’s organisers.

“What we are doing here is celebrating skills. Unfortunately universities keep churning out degrees, but if the youths don’t have the right skills, both hard and soft skills, to make the required impact in society, they become irrelevant, both to themselves and the society,” said Dr Tanju Kotto, one of the keynote speakers at the event.

He talked to youths about FAME which, he said, stands for focus, attitude, movement and emptiness. He said youths must be focused and look in one direction until they achieve their vision; possess a good attitude towards everyone; move and progress in what they do and empty out anything negative that hinders them.

“If the world does not know we have these skills, the world cannot enable us make these skills impactful. I don’t believe that there’s unemployment and I do not believe that employment is what is going to solve the problems that we have in our society.

“This is what I believe: if people realise who they are and what they can offer to society, the language not only changes from employment to impact, but it energises the impact, so that instead of talking about employment and unemployment we are talking about impact. You do not need to be employed to make impact in your society, but when you have a marketable skill, your impact becomes very visible,” said Dr Tanju Kotto.

In an era where young people are striving to be successful, youths were advised to recognise their purpose, and pursue it without competing with others.

“Know who you are, first of all know where you come from; you have to avoid competition… some people were born with silver spoons, some have better opportunities than ourselves. You need to know the purpose of life and the purpose of your life…” said Sylvia Keys, a trained coach, TV Anchor and Communication expert.

In drama and spoken word poetry showcased by some youths, they depicted the gruesome killing of young people in the crisis in the English-speaking regions, emphasising on the Kumba school massacre of October 24.

Apart from singing, dancing and comedy performed at the event, youths also exhibited some hand works including cakes, paintings, among others.