Young people from Eastern communities including Castle Bruce on Thursday were involved in an employment consultation to discuss how best they could position themselves to gain employment.
The consultation held at the Castle Bruce Youth Centre was the first of three consultations organized by the Youth Development Division.
Youth officer, Gregory Riviere who chaired the activity, encouraged the youth to use the forum as an avenue to speak frankly about possible solutions to the problem of unemployment.
As a person working with young people across the country Rivere spoke of the harsh realities now confronting some of the island’s youth.
“As youth workers sometimes it’s very painful sometimes when we go to homes and we see young people who are strong, intelligent sitting at their homes and are unable to find something to do. That is very painful and we sense the embarrassment because they are unable to offer anything to the household,” he said.
Coordinator of the Technical Vocational and Training Education Programme in the Ministry of Education, Abraham Durand, was one of several speakers who addressed the young people at Thursday’s consultation.
Durand spoke to them about the importance of taking greater responsibility in securing a job.
“Nobody owes you a job, not your parents, not the parliamentary representative, not the Prime Minister or the Government, nobody owes you a job,” he said.
He reminded them that at a certain period in their lives their parents no longer are responsible.
“The law says eighteen… I say when you become a mature person. At some point your parent’s responsibility ends and you have to take your life in your hand. You owe yourself a job not anybody else,” Durand stressed.
Durand told the young people that in today’s world smart employers look not only at qualifications but also look critically at skills of prospective employees.
“Employers are getting smart these days, people are manufacturing certificates and degrees and pieces of papers. Employers are beginning to tell themselves that we need to look beyond the piece of paper. Smart employers want to dig into your head, they want to know who it is that they are hiring,” he cautioned.
Durand also spoke to the young people about current jobs now available and possible lucrative industries in Dominica.
Other speakers at the employment consultation included Chief youth development officer Bernard Bontiff, and Job Developer at the Youth development Division Matilda Popo.
Similar consultations have been planned for other districts in Dominica.
Yes, the youth need to be made aware of opportunities available so they can capitalise
Young people have so much to offer but they are surrounded by to much red tape and politics thanks for so much info and talk youth division now it’s time for action
I wonder where the other consultations will be held? Very positive initiative…
I applaud the initiative. Well done, Youth Division. Also, that speech by Mr. Durand seems rather inspiring. I wish the full contents would be posted for others to read and be motivated in the right direction. We must move away from this mentality that a “government” must employ persons.
Captivating speech indeed, now he needs to provide the jobs for them to appy for and then, only then, we’ll WE see captivating RESULTS! WE’RE TIRED OF SPEECHES, ACTION IS KEY! PROVIDE THEM AN APORTUNITY, DON’T JUST TELL THEM WHAT THEY NEED TO DO!
Very captivating speech Mr. Durand.