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Column by Diana Giorgini
| Connecting opportunities
and curricula |
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There are many opportunities for
qualified employment in sub-Saharan Africa and it is by now a fact
that employers often prefer to hire people from the country concerned
rather than turn to personnel abroad.
In this issue, this feature aims to supplement its usual indications
on qualified employment opportunities with some new areas
of information: by signalling new sites that are useful
for employment searches and indications on forms of recruitment
via career fairs. Finally, the feature will provide a synopsis of
the job offers analysed in previous issues.
The usual…..
A look at the online repertoires of the sites analysed
so far:
http://www.africaonline.com,
http://www.findajobinafrica.com,
http://www.afriquemploi.com,
http://www.jobfood.com,
http://www.icijob.com
confirms the trends seen in the previous issues of this feature.
In particular, even in this issue, the main
employers appear to be international development
agencies, international NGOs and non-profit organisations
dealing with issues concerning development, such as food security,
HIV/AIDS, environmental protection, child protection, reduction
of poverty, gender issues, local institutional development, sustainable
development and human rights. Even private enterprises
operating in the fields of industry, consulting and ITC seem to
have a considerable impact on the job market.
The employment categories more in demand concern
managerial appointments in the field of cooperation and
development projects, and national representatives
of international NGOs. Moreover, in the cooperation field,
there are many requests for medical personnel with
project management skills and also procurement administrators
and experts, while private firms are mainly seeking skilled
workers for the production plant management field.
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Here are some specific opportunities for qualified
employment:
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- The International Livestock Research Institute
is offering a post-doctorate position for the realisation of a
project to be carried out together with the International Food
Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) for impact assessment activities
in Kenya. Candidates must have a Ph.D. in economics, in agricultural
economics or in a related discipline as well as good skills in
economic data management and analysis, and good knowledge of the
agricultural sector. Preference will be given to citizens of countries
belonging to the Association for Strengthening Agricultural Research
in Eastern and Central Africa (Burundi, Democratic Republic of
Congo, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Madagascar, Rwanda, Sudan, Tanzania,
Uganda). Applications can be sent to recruit-ilri@cgiar.org.
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- The University of Western Cape,
South Africa, is offering two post-doctorate research positions
in the Department of Structure and Functions of Proteins. The
research project envisages the identification and characterisation
of protein-protein interactions, DWNN and mRNA processes. Candidates
must have experience in the field of immuno-precipitation methods.
For further information, contact Dr David Pugh, dpugh@uwc.ac.za>.
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- A leading ITC firm in French-speaking Africa
is seeking a Chief Executive Officer (CEO) who will be responsible
for the development of technologies for ITC access and training
in the remotest and less developed areas of Africa. As a member
of the Board of Directors, the CEO will be responsible for developing
a sustainability plan for a network of communication and management
centres for the managerial and public relations aspects of the
network. Candidates must have 5 years experience in company management,
a good knowledge of ITC, fund-raising skills and experience of
public and private partnerships. Applicants must send a CV to
jobs@amscobv.com.
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- An insurance company based in
Lagos, Nigeria, is seeking a Chief Operations
Officer to take charge of its executive management. The Officer
will be responsible for the coordination of company operations,
the drafting of strategies and the modernisation of objectives.
Candidates must have an excellent knowledge of financial markets
and the insurance field, and have at least 10 years experience.
Applicants must send a CV with covering letter of presentation
to frank@amscobv.com.frank@amscobv.com.
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- A General Manager with a degree in mechanical
engineering, chemistry or marketing, as well as an MBA and experience
in the chemical sector, is required for managing the marketing
strategies and the complete reorganisation and computerisation
of a manufacturing, importing and wholesale
distributing firm in East Africa. For further information
and for sending a CV, applicants must contact jobs@amscobv.com.
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- A cosmetics and hair products multinational
is seeking a Marketing and Export Manager for its offices in Ghana.
The position involves controlling the company’s marketing
activities and exports throughout West Africa. Candidates must
have previous experience in the import-export business as well
as great entrepreneurial spirit. The main duties will concern
the administration of sales, the identification and creation of
partnership strategies, market analysis and budgeting. Candidates
must have a good knowledge of English and French as well as 5
years experience in marketing. For information, contact derekm@dmapeople.co.za.
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- Groupe La Farge, is seeking a
Technical Director for its Madagascar offices,
in order to run the Cement works in Amboanio. The plant director
will be responsible for financial, technical and personnel management.
Candidates must have a degree in engineering, 5 years experience
in production management as well as good financial and administrative
management skills. Applicants must contact F.M.I. Resources at:
fmi.r@guetali.fr.
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- The United Nations Development Programme
for Somalia, based in Nairobi, is seeking a Somali national
for the post of Humanitarian Affairs Officer. The position involves
the coordination of information verification and analysis activities
concerning the country’s policies, security and socio-economic
events. The Officer will also be responsible for maintaining relations
with other research organisations, with particular reference to
economic policy. Candidates must have a degree in political science
or similar, 5 years experience with an international cooperation
agency, NGO or the United Nations, as well as good knowledge of
the English language. Applicants must send a CV to the Deputy
Resident Representative, UNDP – Somalia, registry.so@undp.org
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All the websites consulted offer the chance to register
for the newsletter service which provides e-mail news on the job market
and periodic updates on employment opportunities. Job seekers can enter
their CV in an online database available to firms seeking personnel.
….. plus some novelties to explore!
Online employment agencies and websites have undoubtedly
changed job search methods and the chances to match job offers and requests
in distant geographical areas. There has been a considerable increase
in portals that try to stimulate the African job market,
both specialised and non-specialised, as well as specific sections
dedicated to international employment offers within the websites of many
companies.
To carry out a personalised job search, according to country
and employment field, and to have information on firms seeking personnel,
we have listed some interesting sites below:
http://www.africajob.com
A new online portal for professional job search
in Africa. It is useful both for first-time job hunters and for
those in search of qualified employment, and offers information and advice
on how to manage one’s careers and how to change jobs. Besides providing
a list of job offers, divided according to categories, the portal has links
to a newsletter, forum and chat room. It also runs a weekly survey where
people can respond by using an online questionnaire.
http://jobs.asiaco.com/africa
This site is suitable for qualified job hunting using
two different search engines. There is the chance to carry out a quick
search by using a chosen key word or a more in-depth search according
to the kind of work, geographical area or job position requested. This
site also provides a specific box on high level jobs in Africa.
There is also a box providing advice on how to approach job interviews
and how to write a good CV.
http://www.africajobs.com
Besides providing the opportunity to see job offers via
a specific search engine according to location, employment category and
one or more key words, this site gives suggestions on how to write
a CV and how to improve one’s career prospects. There is
also a free service of CV assessment by personnel selection experts.
http://www.careersinafrica.com
The employment agency running this site offers periodical seminar
days on a theme and meetings with employers and potential co-workers.
The site also offers links to the main international firms seeking staff
for their African offices.
Why not take part in a career fair?
One of the most recent and innovative ways of matching job
requests with offers are Career or Recruitment Fairs.
These fairs have taken root in many American and European cities and,
in particular, are often organised by universities and employment agencies
in order to facilitate the entry of young people and university graduates
in the job market. They consist of days on a theme dedicated to
the job market, during which companies seeking personnel come
into direct contact with candidates and professionals seeking employment.
Companies thus have the opportunity to provide information on their activities
and on what they require of candidates, and can immediately start their
selection of personnel and potential co-workers.
The trend has recently been noted for companies to use this personnel
recruitment method not only for university graduates but also for qualified,
specialised and high level personnel.
In particular, there is the added novelty of more career fairs specifically
geared to promoting employment opportunities in Africa.
This could also act as a stimulus and help for members of the African
diaspora who wish to return to their countries of origin.
More than one of these events will take place in Europe, the USA and in
Africa throughout 2003. The first fair will be held in
Boston on 7-9 March. It will be organised by the Global
Career Company, an employment agency which, besides organising
events for connecting job offers and requests, also gives the chance to
register in an online database and to receive personalised information
on employment opportunities listed in the site. The same agency is also
organising a career fair to be held in London on 10-11 March.
Further information is available at: http://www.careersinafrica.com
The month of March will also see
the Africa Recruit 2003 event in London, organised by
the firm CBC Recruit, in cooperation with the Commonwealth
Business Council (CBC) and Africaserve Ltd., in order to facilitate contacts
between companies and qualified personnel for jobs in company offices
in Africa. The same event will be held in France in June and in the USA
in November 2003. Further information is available at:
http://www.africarecruit.com.
| EVENTS SCHEDULE |
| Careers in Africa US Recruitment Summit |
12 – 13 March, London |
| Africa Recruit 2003 UK |
12 – 13 March, London |
| Careers in Africa UK Recruitment Summit |
10 – 11 May, London |
| Africa Recruit 2003 France |
scheduled for June 2003, France |
| Africa Recruit 2003 North America |
scheduled for November 2003, USA |
| Africa Recruit 2003 Africa |
to be confirmed |
Employment opportunities from Algeria to Zimbabwe
In running this feature, the period April 2002 –
February 2003 saw the consultation and processing of about one
thousand job advertisements containing employment opportunities
in as many as 46 African countries.
Online job offers are updated in real time so that an exhaustive consultation
of the published offers is not possible, even though some considerations
can still be made from our analysis.
The main countries with qualified employment
opportunities are: Angola, South Africa, Kenya, Sierra Leone, the Democratic
Republic of Congo, Cameroon, Senegal, Nigeria, Uganda and Zimbabwe; as
well as other job opportunities available in French-speaking and English-speaking
areas of Africa.
Trends in job offers also show job market
fluctuations, for both qualified and non-qualified employment,
due to the political situation in some countries, such as the coup in
Cote d’Ivoire, and also to policies for extending or setting up
industrial plants, such as the Total-Fina-Elf case in Angola.
The following table lists the employment opportunities
in Africa, taken from the first 4 issues of our feature, according to
country:
| EMPLOYMENT
OPPORTUNITIES ACCORDING TO COUNTRY OF ORIGIN |
| Countries |
African
Societies |
Total |
| No.
1 |
No. 2 |
No. 3 |
No. 4 |
| Africa |
|
14 |
17 |
25 |
56 |
| Algeria |
2 |
a |
2 |
a |
4 |
| Angola |
3 |
21 |
9 |
32 |
65 |
| Benin |
2 |
4 |
1 |
a |
7 |
| Botswana |
a |
1 |
a |
a |
1 |
| Burkina Faso |
12 |
4 |
5 |
2 |
23 |
| Burundi |
4 |
7 |
7 |
5 |
23 |
| Camerun |
12 |
19 |
6 |
3 |
40 |
| Chad |
a |
8 |
2 |
2 |
12 |
| Congo |
1 |
27 |
15 |
10 |
53 |
| Congo Brazza |
1 |
1 |
a |
a |
2 |
| Costa d’Avorio |
5 |
15 |
13 |
5 |
38 |
| Egitto |
4 |
a |
8 |
a |
12 |
| Eritrea |
2 |
a |
1 |
a |
3 |
| Etiopia |
1 |
5 |
9 |
8 |
23 |
| Gabon |
|
5 |
1 |
5 |
11 |
| Gambia |
3 |
1 |
2 |
3 |
9 |
| Ghana |
7 |
8 |
4 |
6 |
25 |
| Guinea |
3 |
10 |
1 |
3 |
17 |
| Kenya |
23 |
34 |
13 |
19 |
89 |
| Lesotho |
a |
4 |
7 |
1 |
12 |
| Liberia |
3 |
1 |
1 |
a |
5 |
| Libia |
1 |
a |
1 |
a |
2 |
| Madagascar |
a |
4 |
3 |
1 |
8 |
| Malawi |
1 |
10 |
9 |
6 |
26 |
| Mali |
2 |
2 |
1 |
4 |
9 |
| Mauritius |
2 |
2 |
a |
1 |
5 |
| Mauritania |
a |
2 |
a |
a |
2 |
| Mozambico |
4 |
9 |
6 |
3 |
22 |
| Namibia |
1 |
1 |
a |
2 |
4 |
| Niger |
5 |
2 |
a |
a |
7 |
| Nigeria |
6 |
12 |
19 |
5 |
42 |
| Rep. Centrafricana |
a |
1 |
a |
a |
1 |
| Rwanda |
5 |
9 |
6 |
6 |
26 |
| Senegal |
8 |
20 |
1 |
3 |
32 |
| Sierra Leone |
5 |
22 |
12 |
11 |
50 |
| Somalia |
1 |
5 |
1 |
2 |
9 |
| Somaliland |
3 |
a |
a |
a |
3 |
| Sud Africa |
14 |
34 |
17 |
30 |
95 |
| Sudan |
2 |
12 |
9 |
5 |
28 |
| Swaziland |
a |
1 |
a |
2 |
3 |
| Tanzania |
3 |
5 |
5 |
6 |
19 |
| Togo |
4 |
3 |
5 |
2 |
14 |
| Tunisia |
1 |
a |
5 |
a |
6 |
| Uganda |
8 |
11 |
8 |
10 |
37 |
| Zambia |
4 |
2 |
1 |
a |
7 |
| Zimbabwe |
4 |
4 |
20 |
5 |
33 |
| Totals |
172 |
362 |
253 |
233 |
1,020 |
Translation: Franco Amodeo |
