YAAPA President talking to BGS Molyko students in Buea
By Andrew Nsoseka
Young African Aviation Professional Association, YAAPA, a non-profit organisation out to promote aviation and tourism through communication to Africa’s young people, on February 4, 2025, visited students of Bilingual Grammar School Molyko, Buea, and oriented them on the vast job opportunities available in the aviation sector.
The YAAPA team that visited BGS Molyko was led by the organisation’s Founder and President, Fadimatou Noutchemo, who is also the Director of Afrijet Cameroon and Nigeria.
During the orientation event, YAAPA officials, led by its president, explained to the youths that the opportunities in the aviation industry are vast, and, as such, they should dismiss the misconception that the industry was only for people who want to become pilots.
YAAPA told them that cooks, communicators, hostesses, mechanics, graphic designers, software engineers, and lots of other professionals all have parts to perform in the industry.
“As Cameroon celebrates its 59th Youth Day, we decided to contribute to the Southwest region by letting children know they are part of the country’s development. Aviation offers numerous opportunities, especially in sustainable aviation and environmental protection,” Fadimatou said.
“These new careers require young students to brainstorm and explore opportunities. We want them to see beyond Cameroon’s borders and recognise the potential for aviation careers.”
She also revealed that her team launched the Youth Aviation Tech African programme, which provides online training and resources for young people. “This program aims to nurture them into joining the aviation industry, addressing manpower shortages. We hope to collaborate with international institutions to offer aviation programmes at the HND and university levels. This will provide young people with opportunities to develop skills and become a vital workforce for the aviation industry…Ideally, we believe that introducing aviation programmes at the secondary level would be beneficial. This would expose students to various aviation careers and provide them with a solid foundation,” she said.
While appreciating BGS Molyko’s administrators for opening the school’s doors to the sensitisation and orientation event, Fadimatou said her organisation plans to expand its outreach to all 10 Regions of Cameroon and eventually to other Central African countries, promoting regional integration through aviation in the days ahead.
She expressed satisfaction with the interest shown by the young students who were excited about how they can fit in into the aviation sector.
YAAPA President and BGS Molyko students in Buea
“We aim to make aviation more accessible and inclusive, demonstrating that it’s an industry for everyone. We need professionals from various backgrounds to contribute to the industry’s growth. By promoting aviation careers, we can inspire young people to become part of the industry’s future. We’re excited to collaborate with schools and professionals to make this vision a reality,” she said.
Speaking to the press, Awachek Purity, an Upper Sixth Arts student who wants to pursue a career in communication said the orientation was very useful to her. “I can enter the aviation field and pursue my dream of being a communicator and I’ve also learned that aviation does not only concern being a pilot, but there are other opportunities,” she said. Students who actively participated in the orientation exercise received prizes.
