From learning to earning: Youth redefine success at career fair

At the usually quiet Mwembetogwa grounds in Iringa, a wave of excitement and purpose swept through the crowd. Tents flapped in the wind, voices filled the air, and hundreds of curious eyes scanned exhibits, from robotics demos to sweet potato snacks.

This was not your ordinary fair. It was the 2025 Youth Career Fair, a week-long celebration of skills, trades, and opportunity that drew over 3,000 young Tanzanians eager to shape their futures.

With the theme Kijana: Ujuzi Wako, Fani Yako, Chaguo Lako (Youth: Your Skills, Your Profession, Your Choice), the event transformed Iringa into a hub of innovation, learning, and empowerment. Officially opened on July 26 by Iringa Regional Commissioner Mr Kheri James and Swiss Ambassador Nicole Providoli, the fair marked a powerful collaboration between the Tanzanian government, Swisscontact, and the Skills for Employment Tanzania (SET) project.

But beyond the speeches and banners, it was the voices of the youth, the innovators, dreamers, and doers that stole the show.

In a modest booth lined with snacks and juice, Adam Mwageni stood proudly behind a table stacked with goods: mandazi, samosas, and crisps. His secret ingredient? Orange-fleshed sweet potatoes.

“Before SET, I was unemployed,” said the young farmer from Nyololo Village. “Now I own a small processing business. I’ve learnt that employment isn’t something you wait for; you create it.”

Thanks to training from the SET project, Adam turned a humble crop into a source of income and inspiration. His products, all derived from locally grown sweet potatoes, not only provide for his family but also stand as a symbol of what practical skills can achieve.

Gloria Hashim Mhehe never imagined she’d become a business owner. “I was just helping my brother enrol at Don Bosco Training Centre when I saw a poster for SET’s tailoring course,” she recalled. “I decided to apply.”

Three months later, Gloria had completed her training. Today, she runs a tailoring business in Mtwivila, designs clothes for men and women, trains other youth, and even raises chickens to diversify her income.

“I can now pay school fees for my kids and support my family. SET changed my life,” she said, beaming.

Not far from Gloria’s booth, a group of secondary school students crowded around a table of gadgets. At its centre stood Goodluck Stanley, Chief Technical Officer at Taifatek, a tech firm that trains youth in robotics, app development, and web design.

“We’re here to inspire the next generation of tech leaders,” Stanley said. His company runs the Taifatek Centre at Lugalo Secondary School and credits SET with helping them expand access to hands-on training.

“The exhibition gives us direct engagement with students, parents, and educators. This is how innovation grows, through visibility and collaboration.”

The exhibition wasn’t limited to stalls and demonstrations. The week kicked off with an energetic outreach campaign, from boda boda-led street parades and clean-up drives to a blood donation event at Iringa Regional Hospital. These activities, supported by the Swiss Embassy, aimed to raise awareness about skills development while nurturing a sense of social responsibility among youth.

At the University of Iringa, a lively panel discussion brought together stakeholders from tourism, finance, agriculture, and technology to explore economic opportunities in Iringa. Speakers encouraged students to pursue skills-based employment and seize the tools at their disposal.

One of the key partners in the exhibition was the Tourism Innovation Hub (TIHub), which blends creativity, technology, and entrepreneurship to boost youth involvement in Tanzania’s tourism sector.

“Our programmes, like the Kilimanjaro Film Festival, Sanaa Soko, and Youth Apprenticeship Programme, are helping to reimagine tourism through youth-driven ideas,” said Jimson Sanga, TIHub’s Southern Highlands Coordinator. “We support minimum viable products (MVPs), blended learning, and even heritage-based services. The youth are not just participants; they’re leaders.”

The fair is more than an event; it’s part of a growing movement to align education with real-world opportunities. Swisscontact Country Director Rudolf Nuetzi called it a platform for partnership: “It brings together employers, training institutions, and financial bodies to engage directly with youth.”

The Swiss Government, through its Embassy in Tanzania, has invested over Sh23 billion in the SET project from 2022 to 2025. At the opening ceremony, Ambassador Providoli affirmed the Swiss commitment: “We believe in Tanzanian youth. Now is the time to bridge education with market realities.”

Her message was echoed by Kilolo District Commissioner Estomini Kyando, representing the Iringa Regional Commissioner: “Events like these connect youth with employers and showcase marketable skills. We’re seeing mindsets change.”

From tech startups to tailors and farmers to filmmakers, the Youth Career Fair showed that Tanzanian youth are not waiting for the future; they are building it. And with the right training, support, and encouragement, their potential is boundless.

As the sun set over Mwembetogwa grounds, the energy remained. Students exchanged contacts. Exhibitors packed up with satisfaction. And one young boy stood silently staring at a robotics kit, perhaps dreaming of one day building his own.

Because if this exhibition proved anything, it’s that skills open doors, and every young Tanzanian has a key.