Empowering Youth Employability: PADESCE Recruits 646 Fully-funded In-company Apprenticeships

In a major step toward curbing youth unemployment and bridging the structural mismatch between academic training and market demands, the Secondary Education and Skills Development Project for Growth and Employment, PADESCE, has officially launched a nationwide call for applications. To recruit 646 young Cameroonians for a national in-company apprenticeship programme.

Cameroon-World Project

Operating under the joint cooperation between the Republic of Cameroon and the World Bank, the initiative adopts the Work-Study (Alternance Travail-Études – ATE) model. Designed to offer direct, hands-on professional immersion, the programme combines practical work experience inside leading companies. With structured theoretical instruction delivered by accredited vocational training institutions.

Signed by PADESCE General Coordinator Mbenoun Sophie in Yaoundé on August 28, 2026, the call for applications targets young Cameroonian job seekers looking to acquire practical skills across strategic growth sectors.

The Work-Study model selected for this initiative represents a strategic pivot toward demand-driven vocational training. Lasting between four and five months, the curriculum is structured around an intensive dual-learning schedule:

80% In-Company Training: Apprentices spend four-fifths of their time on factory floors, agricultural sites, technology labs, and service centers under the direct supervision of experienced industry mentors.

20% Institutional Training: The remaining time is spent at certified vocational training centers, where candidates master theoretical concepts to complement their practical duties.

Upon successful completion and evaluation, apprentices will earn a Professional Qualification Certificate (Certificat de Qualification Professionnelle – CQP), validating their competence according to national standards.

Fully-funded By PADESCE 

To lower entry barriers for vulnerable and unemployed youth, PADESCE is fully funding the programme. Financial coverage extends to theoretical tuition fees, specialized training kits, Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), comprehensive apprentice insurance, certification examination fees, monthly candidate stipends/allowances, and supervision bonuses for company mentors.

To safeguard equal opportunity and transparency, PADESCE has outlined a multi-stage selection process: Verification of administrative compliance and eligibility; candidate pre-selection based on file suitability; written aptitude test and individual interviews. Behavioral competency assessment and enterprise-matching. And final approval by the PADESCE Selection Committee, followed by apprenticeship contract signature.

Stringent Governance

In line with ethical guidelines, the call explicitly bars employees (permanent, temporary, or contractual) of partner host companies from applying. Furthermore, direct family members (spouses, children, siblings, ascendants, or descendants) and close associates of executives or managers in partner firms are strictly excluded to avoid conflicts of interest. False declarations will lead to immediate disqualification.

PADESCE strongly encourages applications from female candidates, individuals with disabilities compatible with the trade, and young people from all 10 regions of Cameroon, adhering strictly to a non-discrimination policy.

Application Window: Open from August 28, 2026, at 00:00 until September 11, 2026, at 23:59. Late submissions will be automatically rejected.

Submission Portal: Applications are processed exclusively online via the official portal: https://apprentissage.padesce.cm/.

Required Documents: Online application form, cover letter addressed to the General Coordinator of PADESCE, detailed CV, photocopy of birth certificate, photocopy of valid CNI or temporary receipt, photocopy of required diploma, medical certificate of fitness, and parental authorization for minor applicants.

Further Information

For further inquiries, candidates can reach the PADESCE Project Coordination Unit at their administrative office in Nkoleton, Yaoundé (behind Lycée Technique Charles Atangana), via email (pnkembe@yahoo.fr, tompolos@gmail.com, polombo2000@gmail.com), or phone (+237 97 61 02 99, +237 99 87 96 12, +237 76 98 96 03).

A total of 18 partner host companies - headquartered or operating primarily across Yaoundé, Douala, and surrounding zones - have mobilized to host the 646 apprentices, backed by 244 qualified apprenticeship masters. The programme spans a wide matrix of technical and industrial domains tailored to current national development priorities:

SOCARREMA (IMEFAC) [Douala]: Offering 60 positions across Railway Maintenance Technicians, Rail Welders, and Track Workers.

COMETAL [Douala]: Mobilizing 60 slots for Boilermaking and Welding.

FERROMETAL [Douala]: Providing 30 positions in Boilermaking and Welding.

AFRIMAR [Douala]: Recruitment of 12 Forklift Operators (Category B driver's license required).

SOTRABUS [Douala]: Opening 60 positions covering Automotive Mechatronics, Auto Electricity, Auto Body Repair and Painting, Interior Upholstery, Heavy Machinery Repair, Mechanical Fabrication, Auto Design, Boilermaking, Welding, and Fire Prevention.

IAO d’Obala [Yaoundé]: Providing 100 positions across Animal Breeding, Connected Permaculture Market Gardening, Animal Feed Production, Plant Production, Agropastoral Product Processing, Vegetable Oil Refining, and Aquaculture.

TENE FISH CENTER SARL [Douala]: Offering 24 slots across Table Fish Production, Fingerling Production, and Processing.

PHP (Plantations du Haut Penja) [Douala]: Recruiting 16 apprentices as Field Foremen, Packaging Station Foremen, Irrigation Operations Supervisors, Senior Agronomy Technicians, and Automation Controllers.

MIPROMALO [Yaoundé]: Mobilizing 75 positions for Earth Brickmakers (raw/fired), Precast Concrete Manufacturers, Potter-Ceramists, Bricklayer-Masons, and Production Equipment Manufacturers.

ANAFOR [Yaoundé]: Hosting 30 positions in Nursery Techniques, Forest Plantation Creation, Seed Management, and Catering Support.

FLORE SERVICES [Douala/Yaoundé]: Offering 30 slots covering Green Space Maintenance Technicians, Hygiene-Safety-Environment (HSE) Technicians, Welding, Boilermaking, Mechanical Fabrication, Heavy Machinery Repair, and Automotive Design.

MAISON SOLAIRE [Yaoundé]: Providing 36 positions in Smart Solar Systems (SSI), Smart Eco-Buildings (EBI), Smart Hotel Management (GHI), and Photovoltaic System Design.

SETA [Yaoundé]: Offering 12 slots for Photovoltaic Installation and Maintenance.

FECS SARL [Douala]: Recruiting 40 apprentices for Emergency and Fire Safety Equipment Installation.