Thank you so much Elisabeth and Mughal for your suggestions!
I will make sure to take them into account! I've started to apply for internships in NGOs and companies. Please don't hesitate if you hear about any internship or whatever position that may be interesting for me to get experience.

Cheers

MAMPUYA M. N'Zinga

I agree with Elisabeth's suggestions. While civil engineering consulting firms go for people with experience, they can take interns. But this will require personal visits to the offices of the consulting firms. NGOs may hire new entrants relatively easily.

Good luck, brother!

F H Mughal

Dear MAMPUYA Mazebo N'Zinga,

Welcome to the forum! Glad to have you here as we don't often hear from people from DR Congo or Burkina Faso.

Yes, the problem that you describe is a really hard one that many people at the beginning of their career face. (and yet we also talk about a "capacity gap" that we don't have enough people in the WASH sector with the right qualifications...)

I have two small suggestions for you:

1. Get your name out there and well known by making good, constructive posts here on the forum about topics that you feel passionate about!
2. Look for internship positions with NGOs, companies, international NGOs etc. - which may start out as being unpaid or low paid, but may give you a chance to get experience and to prove yourself? I know the internship route is a method for quite a few young graduates in Germany to get into jobs at GIZ, for example.

Good luck!

Elisabeth

Hi everybody

My name is MAMPUYA Mazebo N'Zinga, from DR Congo (but currently living in Burkina Faso). I am a Young Engineer in Water and Sanitation with a specialized Master in Humanitarian WASH. I'm looking for my first job contract.
I have a concern and I know maybe everyone of you faced it one day. I need your testimonies and your advises

My concern is: "What are the advised ways to get hired for a Young WASH Engineer? Where and how to apply?". I have this concern because I use to look at the offers from NGOs and for almost all the positions, they ask for a few years experience. Since I have been searching I have never seen a position for new graduate Engineers.

Thank you