The Secretariat of State for Vocational Training, Policy and Employment organized a careers exhibition for final year students, with the objective of providing information to help them make a decision on when to finish their studies. 
Secretary of State for Vocational Training, Policy and Employment (SEPFOPE) Ilidio Ximenes da Costa said the exhibition provided information on universities, training centres, the private sector, the armed forces and the police.
“It’s to give the opportunity to students to choose for themselves, because it’s vocation so they are the ones who decide whether to go to university, the armed forces, the police or vocational training,” he said at the opening of the exhibition at the Don Bosco Training Centre in Comoro.
The Secretary of State added the exhibition was part of an annual program of SEPFOPE, therefore this year they would put a sufficient budget towards it and would increase the number of times they hold the exhibition.
The exhibitions were held in Baucau, Bobonaro, Oe-Cusse, Ermera and Dili districts and cost a total of $29,000, paid for by the International Labour Organization (ILO).
At the same time, Vice Minister for Tertiary Education Marcal Avelino Ximenes said the exhibition was really important so that secondary students could listen and make a decision about their future.
He added there were a lot of scholarship holders who did not move forward because they did not major in science while abroad, as to learn about computers you should major in basic sciences like physics, mathematics and chemistry.
“In reality we’ve sent our students to the Philippines and Portugal since 2001 and they push but can’t move forward because they haven’t majored in science,” said the Vice Minister.
Meanwhile, student Arnaldo Fernandes thanked SEPFOPE for organizing the exhibition so they could find information to help them make a decision on the future.
He said he found a lot of new information through the exhibition, like a scholarship through Telkomsel in the area of macro electronics and information on IT, jobs, the maritime forces and the police.
“I think it’s a good opportunity for us to think about our future and make a decision, as if there’s an opportunity I want to join the maritime forces,” said the Year 12 student.
