
Maxciana Soares Fernandes, a 25-year-old student from Manufahi, prepared for Timor-Leste’s competitive job market by studying at the Sentru Youth Hub in Dili.
The hub is a key strategy of NCBA CLUSA’s U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)-funded Women and Youth Creating our Future (WYCF) activity in Timor-Leste. By the end of the five-year project, NCBA CLUSA anticipates that 22,000 women and youth will gain market-relevant skills, secure formal jobs or establish and grow job-creating enterprises across Timor-Leste.
Fernandes started studying Information Management and Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in 2020 at the Institute of Business (IOB) and is currently in her final year. Despite being a soon-to-be college graduate, Fernandes still faces 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 the Sentru Youth Hub, she quickly enrolled alongside 279 other students, over 50 percent of whom are women. Having studied ICT since high school, Fernandes saw the course as an opportunity to rapidly hone her skills and better prepare her for the workplace. She was drawn to this particular course because of the high-quality educators and the program’s focus on practical and professional skills.
Participating in the Sentru Youth Hub has better prepared her for job placement or entrepreneurship, Fernandes said. “I am proud [to be] part of this program because 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, Fernandes learned CPU maintenance, digital design and marketing skills and was able to apply these skills during a workplace internship placement with an organization called MISIO. During her internship, she applied her new skills to design brochures, ID cards and banners for high-level events; and support Microsoft Office installation. In addition, she took on several managerial tasks during her internship.
“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 Microsoft Office applications,” Fernandes said.
“Now, I am confident to apply and compete in the job market in the future.”
With her new skills and workplace experience, Fernandes 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.
With her full-time job, Fernandes is now financially independent, able to support herself and her family. The opportunity created through Women and Youth Creating our Future activity not only advanced her career, but also improved her family’s quality of life 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 Microsoft Office applications. Now, I am confident to apply and compete in the job market in the future.”