BY IAN KAUKUI
WITH the current high rate of unemployment experienced in the country, school leavers or dropout students and many other youths today are facing difficulties in getting a job and as a result, some end up doing many unwanted activities.
Many youths today are searching for job opportunities but only a few are chosen due to unlimited job opportunities available in the country.
Despite the great challenges faced by youths today without much support from the responsible authorities, some even tried their very best to find ways to get little income to help their family and prepare for their future.
Some dropout students attended vocational schools and training centers but that would not cater to all the unemployed youths.
With the introduced job internship program carried out by the Youth @ work in Honiara, some have successfully managed to get permanent jobs after completing their participation in the program.
Solomon Women’s Newspaper managed to catch up with one young school leaver who also joined the Youth @ Work program and now has started her new job as an accountant clerk.
See here the full conversation with the young lady about the experience and how glad she was after finally getting a paid job.
Solomon Women Newspaper (SWN): What is your brief background?
Eremina Rutu (ER): I am from Northwest Guadalcanal, West side of Honiara and I’m just a form 5 leaver.
I attended form 5 at Marara community High school, North West Guadalcanal in 2010 but financial problems were faced, which affected my studies and as a result, I was not able to complete my fifth form.
SWN: What was your aim after finishing secondary education?
ER: I was an aimless person at first, especially after not completing my fifth form but one thing always comes into my mind and that is to just stay and relax.
I just didn’t know what would be my future.
SWN: What did you do after secondary education?
ER: After completing form 5, I worked as a Sunday school teacher at our local church at home and I also did some small courses in Technical Vocational Training (TVT) in cooking and sewing and also involved youth activities.
After that, I heard of a program facilitated by the Youth @ Work in Honiara so I joined them later and continue with community activities like doing street and drainage clean-ups.
It was a little bit tough and challenging for me but I continued to be patient.
How did you manage to get a job as an intern after joining the Youth@Work program?
ER: We were selected with other colleagues to do an internship for three months as required by the Youth @ Work program. And we were chosen to do our internship at the Sunday Isles Newspaper and Solomon Women’s Newspaper.
SWN: Did you live in Honiara with relatives when attending Youth @ Work and during your internship?
ER: No. I don’t have any close relatives in Honiara so I usually get to Honiara by traveling by Public transport. I live at Aruligo, West Guadalcanal.
SWN: How far do you usually walk to get to public transport?
ER: We were living in a village situated 4 km up in the bush beside a river and due to the distance from the main road, I have to wake up early at around 4:30 am every morning to prepare myself before setting off to catch the public transport. Also due to the distance, on my return, I normally arrive at my home around 7:00 pm or even later than that.
SWN: How did you manage to be selected as a full-time employee after completing your internship?
ER: It was due to my hard work shown during my internship and my eagerness to learn new things in my role in the office. Also, I think it was due to my interest in my new job and I was always present during my internship. I never miss out on any day of my time except when I was sick or on compassionate leave.
SWN: How do you feel when you have been chosen and held back by the company you worked for as one of its employers?
ER: I was excited when my boss told me to join the company as a full-time employee and at the same time I was also surprised because I didn’t think I was a suitable person for such a job because I was just a form five leaver and never attended any studies related to the job.
But I believe it was my interest shown for that job that makes my boss have a heart for me and welcomed me.
SWN: What is your current position at the company you work for?
ER: After joining the youth at work program I managed to secure an internship with Isles media (Sunday Isles) as an accounts clerk and now that I have completed my internship with the company, I’m still working as an accounts clerk to assist my colleagues.
SWN: What makes you continue to strive and work hard?
ER: Since my father died when I was a child, no one took up my father’s role to support me, so I have to struggle by myself with my mother, sister, and my brother.
SWN: What encouragement would you like to share with fellow citizens who might have faced similar challenges in getting a job as you did?
ER: Don’t ever lose hope but try to make good use of any opportunity given to you and listen out for small courses and youth programs such as the youth @ work program.
Even though you might face challenges they are just your stepping stones and they would help you in the end to become someone you might not expect.
SWN: Are there any final words of appreciation you would like to say to those that helped you get this far?
ER: I would like to first of all thank the Youth@ work program for offering such a program to help the unemployed youths of our country and also to thank the company which I currently work for accepting me to join them.
I would also like to thank those who have encouraged me to continue my efforts since joining the Youth@ work program, especially when doing the rubbish picking along the streets and drains.
Their encouragement has pushed me forward and helped me never give up.
Lastly, I would like to thank my family for the support they gave me.
They have offered me a lot of support such as bus fare, and food and they supported me in my new job. Even though at times when I arrived late they never say anything or complained.
I also understand that if you have honesty within yourself and in your work your family would also understand and trust you and would never say bad things about you, which might discourage you in your work.
