Background

Ministry of Education (MOE) has developed strategic plan to enhance Students Career Development Center (SCDC) since July 2017 throughout the country. As a result of this plan, it has established SCDC offices at National level in each Government Universities to support fresh graduate to be employed in their field of studies. Based on MOE strategic plan, Wollega University (WU) has also established career service and Internship office in September 2018. The office developed its role and responsibilities based on the MOE strategic plan and started its duties. Later on after reviewed and refined duties and responsibilities, the office has been called Career Service, Entrepreneurship and Alumni Management (CSEAM) Director since December 2020.

An individual’s career development is a lifetime process that encompasses the growth and change process of childhood, the formal career education at school, and the maturational processes that continue throughout a person’s working adulthood and into retirement. Therefore, career is the sequence of interaction of individuals with societies, education and organizations throughout their lifespan. To achieve the objectives the CSEAM Office is providing services which are integrated with academic provision of the University that enable students to develop and implement career decisions and employment plans. In addition, services like continuous career counseling and career development training are provided for the graduating students.

In the process of searching for ‘one viable business idea’, one should think creatively and properly scan the internal and external environments that may positively or negatively affect the establishment of a new business enterprise. Starting and managing a business takes motivation, desire and talent. To encourage new start-up and improve the existing one initiated the CSEAM Office provides entrepreneurship trainings for students and also for surrounding communities.

Alumni are one of the most important assets to any university. They are the professionals who represent the university in the real world. Alumni association are an association of graduates (alumni) or, more broadly, of former students. One of the objectives of CSEAM Office of the Wollega University is to commit itself to create network of interaction between Wollega University and its former graduates as well as among the graduates themselves. The University believes that its graduates can contribute to its success and they are the potential assets if they are kept connected and mobilized.

Vision:

 ü  Wollega University career service aspires to be role model among the Ethiopian Higher Education Institutes by producing competent and most employable graduates.

 ü  Establish strong linkage between our alumni and Wollega University both nationally and internationally and ensure that the University and its graduates benefit out of such sustained interaction.

Mission

ü  Provide services for all Wollega University students in their career development programs, utilization of career resources and promotion of professional development that educates and empowers them to become competent professionals in the global labor market.

ü  Equip graduating students with entrepreneurial skills by creating awareness on self-employment opportunities by changing their attitudes from “job seeking” attitudes in to “job generating” attitudes.

ü Create and maintain a lifelong link between WU and its graduates, as well as the surrounding community.

ü  Foster a sense of loyalty between the university and its alumni by means of university memorabilia.

ü  Serve as a platform of continuous and networked interaction among its graduates to help them share information and experiences.

ü  Encourage alumni participation in fundraising initiatives of the university and any other activity that could benefit the university to realize its mission

Objectives

The objectives of CSEAM Office of WU are to:

1.   Increase the employability of graduate students by improving their soft, entrepreneurial and career development skills through intensive trainings, career guidance, counseling, organizing job fair and other related activities deemed relevant for the fresh graduates in more than 80% within one year of graduation in jobs relevant to their field of study.

2.    Create network of interaction between Wollega University and its former graduates as well as among the graduates themselves.

In-line with the above objective, the CSEAM has been providing short term trainings for graduate students in the career development, entrepreneurship and communication skills since its establishment. The trainings were intended for awareness creation for the students to make necessary preparation for job hunting before their graduation. In addition to the abovementioned trainings, employability skill training was also provided. Some of the services given so far by CSEAM Director Office are the following:

ü  Life skill guidance training

ü  Counseling in department or field of specialization selection.

ü  Career counseling

ü  Career guidance and Mentorship

ü  Provision of trainings in work readiness, entrepreneurship and communication skills

ü  Organizing job fair

The Wollega University alumni or former graduate students are cordially invited to register for alumni association membership via the following registration link.