Four young Cameroonian women are gaining valuable professional experience and building confidence after securing apprenticeship opportunities with Nestlé Cameroon.
Kely Peyiani Womfo, Eunis, Cherode Assakang and Rosine joined Nestlé Cameroon’s apprenticeship programme in October 2025 under the company’s global Nestlé Needs YOUth initiative, which seeks to improve young people’s employability through practical work experience.
Their journey began with a challenge familiar to many young graduates in Cameroon: finding a first job without the experience employers often require.
The women already had qualifications, skills and ambitions, but lacked the opportunity to translate those into practical workplace experience. Ten months into the programme, Nestlé says their experience has helped them develop technical skills, confidence and greater independence.
For Cherode Assakang, her placement at Nestlé’s factory in Douala offered a first-hand introduction to the demands of an industrial environment. Working with multidisciplinary teams, she said, helped her gain practical experience and prepare for her future career.
“Over the past 10 months, Nestlé has helped me grow. I have acquired new skills, gained practical experience on the factory floor and had the opportunity to work with wonderful people,” she said.
Kely Peyiani Womfo, meanwhile, took part in the development and launch of a new product, giving her an opportunity to contribute directly to a strategic project.
The experience, she said, exposed her to new areas of work, strengthened her skills and increased her confidence and independence.
Eunis and Rosine have similarly expanded their professional horizons through assignments, training and interaction with colleagues. Together, the four apprentices have learnt to work as a team, take initiative and tackle challenges outside their comfort zones.
Beyond technical knowledge, Nestlé says the programme has helped the young women become more confident and aware of their abilities.
Aminou Mohamadou, Human Resources Director for Nestlé Central Africa, said their progress demonstrated the value of investing in young talent.
“Seeing our apprentices evolve over these past 10 months has been particularly inspiring,” he said, noting that they had developed new skills, gained confidence and demonstrated maturity in the workplace.
The programme comes at a time when securing a first professional opportunity remains a major challenge for many young graduates in Cameroon. For the four women, however, the apprenticeship has provided an opportunity to turn academic preparation into practical experience.
Their training is not yet over. Nestlé says Kely, Eunis, Cherode and Rosine still have eight months remaining in the programme, during which they will continue to learn and take on new responsibilities.
Nestlé Cameroon says their story forms part of its wider commitment to supporting young people as they enter the world of work. The company highlighted the four apprentices as part of its activities marking International Youth Day, stressing that providing young people with the right opportunities can help them turn their ambitions into meaningful careers.