MALAWI: Catholic University Eyeing Online for Internships, Employment Opportunities
Students of CUNIMA listening to the presentation of Mpuwa on the Platform
Luke Bisani
Through the Transforming Higher Education Systems in Malawi project, the Catholic University of Malawi (CUNIMA) is eying for an online platform to help increase internship and employment opportunities among graduating students in Malawi.
Speaking during a one-day workshop held on Tuesday this week that aimed at interacting with students and staff members on the implementation of the platform, Change Champion for Grand Challenge 2.4 at the Catholic University of Malawi, Paul Mpuwa, said the Catholic University of Malawi-Student-Employer Interaction Platform (CU-SEIP) that the university is looking forward to has gone beyond the technology side.
“We are looking forward to having a fully integrated platform that addresses critical needs existing for graduating students. What we have observed lately is that we have existing platforms, but they don’t address the needs to prepare the graduates for an opportunity that may arise,” said Mpuwa.
Mpuwa added that CU-SEIP will provide students with access to training resources to enable them to develop new skills in writing competitive resumes, cover letters, and proposals, handling interviews, and sharpening communication skills.
He further added that the university, through the project, will facilitate training for the youths who are in the rural areas of the country in their respective telecentres and post offices.
“We understand that the internet may not be favourable to every person; however, those skills are very relevant to them regardless of their backgrounds and the challenges they may face, and our aim is to help those that are poor and marginalized,” added Mpuwa.
CU-SEIP provides a web-based platform for students to showcase their capabilities to prospective employers in hopes of securing internships, jobs, sponsorships, and possible partnerships in the process. Further, the platform provides students with access to training resources.
The US government, through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), has invested an additional $17 million (approximately 17.5 billion kwacha) over the next five years to bolster higher education in Malawi.
The project that is being spearheaded by Michigan State University (MSU) is set to challenge institutions of higher learning to build capacity within Malawi’s higher education ecosystem to promote sustainable economic prosperity and self-reliance for Malawians. Among the challenges is Grand Challenge 2.4, which seeks to increase student access to internships and employment opportunities in Malawi.
