Intern to pro: How Soares Fernandez leveraged training to reach her career goals

Maxciana Soares Fernandes during SENTRU courses

Soares Fernandes is a 25-year-old student from Manufahi at the USAID Women and Youth Creating our Future (WYCF) Sentru Youth Hub in Dili. She started studying Informatic Management and ICT in 2020 at the Institute of Business (IOB) and is currently in her final year. Despite being a soon-to-be college graduate, Maxciana still faced challenges in finding job opportunities due to a limited job market and lack of practical, hands-on experience.

After hearing about WYCF's ICT course through IOB Sentru, she quickly enrolled in the course, alongside 279 other students, over 50% of whom were also women. Maxciana, having studied ICT since high school, saw the ICT course as an opportunity to rapidly hone her skills and better prepare her for the workplace. She was drawn to this course compared to other ICT courses at different institutions because of the high-quality trainers and practical and professional skills focus of the program.

"Due to constraints on work opportunities available in the market and high job competition, the industry sets a high standard for professional workers that are recruited by companies nowadays. I am proud that I am part of this program as now I am confident in and optimistic about the knowledge and skills that I have gained through the Sentru ICT (Digital and Graphic Design) curriculum, trainers, and facilities all of which were very supportive of me and my learning."

During the course, Maxciana learned CPU maintenance digital design and marketing skills and was able to apply these skills during a workplace internship placement with MISIO. In her internship, she worked as a secretary and applied her newly developed skills in design and CPU maintenance and particularly to design brochures, ID cards, banners for high-level events, supported Microsoft Office installation. In addition, due to the limitation of human resources, she took on several supervisorial tasks to support the Director during her internship placement.

With her new skills and workplace experience, Maxciana was able to secure employment with the Catholic Mission for the Archdiocese of Dili through the Institute of Rome, where she provides support on information sharing. She utilizes her design and CPU skills learned through the ICT course at Sentru where she designs brochures, banners, and other marketing materials for events.

As a fully employed woman, she was able to become financially independent and now supports herself and her family. The opportunity created through WYCF Sentry allowed her to advance her career and improve her and her family's lives now and in the future.

"The Sentru courses are very comprehensively designed and helped me to build a more practical skillset. The course taught me how to design a brochure, flyers, and stickers, and use the Microsoft Office application. Now, I am confident to apply and compete in the job market in the future."

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