Burkina Faso: National Union of Employment and Vocational Training Counsellors and Assistants opens new office

The National Union of Employment and Vocational Training Advisers and Assistants (SYNCAEFP) Congress opened with a speech by the outgoing Secretary General, Isaac Nagabila, who stressed that the conference was important in consolidating the gains of the union and strengthening unity among members.

Meeting challenges together

“This event marks an important moment in our shared commitment to protect and defend the moral and work interests of all employed and trained professionals. Only together can we meet the challenges we face, defend our rights, improve our working conditions and advance our profession,” said Isaac Nagabila.

The outgoing office, elected on March 12, 2022, is coming to the end of its mission to revitalize the union. This, according to the union’s text, requires the renewal of its members in order to continue the initiatives launched to promote the industry. But before passing the torch to the new office, Isaac Nagabila presented a report on the activities of the past two years.

The outgoing Secretary General assessed the actions taken by SYNCAEFP, especially in defending the rights of counselors and assistants in employment and professional training. He also spoke about the challenges encountered during the presentation of the financial report, including budgetary difficulties, detailing the income and expenditure of the union.

Condemnation and achievement

“During our term, we condemned the handling of employment issues through populist actions, which undermined structural actions. We also condemned arbitrary allocations without taking into account job specializations,” said Isaac Nagabila.

Among the achievements, we note that, according to the outgoing Secretary-General, the National Commission for Employment and Vocational Training was reformed in accordance with the signed Labour Code Law No. 028.

After the stocktaking, a new union office was inaugurated. The new SYNCAEFP office consists of seven members and is led by Wendyam Arsène Sawadogo, who noted the need to further mobilize employment and training professionals to defend their rights and demands for improved working conditions.

The conference also saw lively debates, with attendees asking questions and expressing their concerns. SYNCAEFP said it wants to be a space for gathering and dialogue, where every voice counts and every idea can contribute to the development of innovative and relevant solutions.

The need for adaptability and in-depth expertise

For unions, the rapid transformation of the labour market, the development of technology and the growing expectations of companies and job seekers require constant adaptability and cutting-edge, up-to-date expertise. SYNCAEFP, which is primarily comprised of executives in the field of employment and professional training, claims to play a key role in supporting job seekers in their successful, sustainable career integration.

It is worth recalling that the Corps of Employment and Vocational Training Advisers and Assistants was established in 2006 on the recommendation of the International Labour Office (ILO). Its main challenge is to help improve the skills level of young people and their adaptability to economic needs and to strengthen the creation of productive and decent jobs. In addition, it is necessary to fight unemployment and underemployment among young people and vulnerable groups.

CEFP Affiliation

The main duties of the Advisor for Employment and Vocational Training (CEFP) include facilitating the implementation, monitoring and evaluation of employment and vocational training policies, strategies and projects/programmes. It also involves ensuring the collection, processing and dissemination of information on employment, training and professional integration.

CEFP also has the prerogative to provide information, awareness, training and advisory support in employment, self-employment and professional integration. They also have the responsibility to contribute to the implementation of professional qualifications and validation of the experience gained. Their duties also include contributing to the organization of intermediaries in the labour market.

Hamid Nanema

Lefaso.net