Sheet Metal Construction at Mary Bilingual Comprehensive High School

Mary Bilingual Comprehensive High School is the only secondary school in Cameroon where students can earn an official trade certificate in Sheet Metal Construction. The program started in 2020 and each year trains 30 boys and girls who want to work with steel, copper and aluminium.

What the course is

Sheet metal work is the cutting, folding, and joining of thin metal sheets to make products such as air-conditioning ducts, roofing, machine covers and cocoa dryers. Students learn to read drawings, measure carefully, cut straight lines and curved shapes, fold angles and weld or rivet joints.

Training lasts three school years (Form 3 to Form 5). At the end students sit for the national CAP exam in “Tôlerie-Chaudronnerie” and also receive the Mary Bilingual high-school diploma. Classes are in both English and French so graduates can work anywhere in Cameroon or in neighbouring countries.

Workshop and machines

The school workshop is 650 m² and has modern machines:

CNC plasma cutter for fast, clean shapes
250-ton hydraulic press brake for sharp folds
Sheet-metal rolling machine for curved panels
TIG and MIG welders for strong joints
SolidWorks computer station for 3-D drawings

Safety rules are strict. Every student passes a 40-hour safety course before using the machines. A nurse is on duty and the workshop has had no lost-time accident for over two years.

Daily timetable

Morning: theory lessons in mathematics, technical drawing and materials.
Afternoon: practical work in the workshop. Students make real products for local companies and earn small payments that go toward their school fees.
Evening: optional extra practice or computer design work.

Industry partners

Cocoa Processing Company, Douala – supplies metal and buys dryers
Bolloré Logistics – orders ventilation parts
ENEO – buys electrical cabinets
German-Cameroon Chamber – pays the “Best Apprentice” scholarship each year

Results

92 % of graduates find jobs within three months
Average starting salary: 180 000 FCFA per month
14 medals won in national skills competitions since 2021
1 200 kg of metal scrap recycled each term

Admission

Open to boys and girls who have finished Form 2
Need at least 60 % in Maths and Science
Must pass a spatial-aptitude test and a short practical bench test
Interview in both English and French

Application window: 1 February – 30 April
Entrance exam: 15 May

Career paths

Work as HVAC installer, roofing foreman or machine fabricator
Study further at ENSET or University of Bamenda for a diploma or degree
Start a small workshop; the school rents space and tools to new graduates for the first 18 months

How to apply

Fill the online form on the school website, upload last term’s report card and pay the 5 000 FCFA exam fee. After the exam the list of accepted students is published on 1 June.

If you want a practical job that pays well and you enjoy working with your hands, Sheet Metal Construction at Mary Bilingual can give you a skill that Cameroon needs. Book a workshop tour on any school day between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. or call +237 6 77 64 77 37 to speak with the department head.