Twenty three graduate from employment project

08 September 2017, 12:00AM

The Ministry of Women, Community and Social Development (MWCSD) and the Samoa Chamber of Commerce are working to address youth unemployment.

They are doing this through the Samoa One Youth Employment Project where 49 young people were placed as interns in 22 companies in Savai’i and Upolu.  

This second internship programme has proven successful in providing pathways to employment for these 49 unemployed youth, identified from the database of unemployed youth registered at the MWCSD and with SNYC (e-youth hub). 

The internship programme is a key activity of the “Tua i le Vao-ola Community Economic Strategy” of the MWCSD and the community sector programme.  

After 10 weeks of internships, 23 young people graduated at a ceremony held at the FAO Conference Room, this week.

Also attending the ceremony were the parents and some of the 12 employers from Upolu that took in these young people for 10 weeks.  

The keynote was delivered by the CEO of the MWCSD, Fuimapoao Naea Beth Onesemo -Tuilaepa.  

In her address, the CEO challenged the young people that the graduation is just the start of more opportunities, not only for those that have secured employment with the respective businesses and companies they were placed at.  

The CEO also reminded those that have acquired relevant experiences after weeks of working with these companies, but will not be employed permanently, to pursue their dreams with faith -- knowing that their labour was not in vain.  

The knowledge and experiences they have now will only grant them more opportunities for future employment.  Verona Parker, of TV3, spoke words of encouragement and shares the corporation’s experiences working with one of the young people, who is now employed formally by TV3.  

A ceremony for the Savai’i interns will be held at Salelologa (Jetover Hotel) today for the 13 young people that completed the programme at 10 companies  around Savai’i.  

“The government of Samoa, through the MWCSD and the Samoa Chamber of Commerce, congratulates all the youth that have completed the internship program.  

“We also acknowledge, with sincere gratitude, the support of all the companies in Savai’i and Upolu -- law firms, catering companies, hotels, media institutions, and construction companies -- that supported these young people in the last ten weeks.  We specifically congratulate those that have worked super hard to ensure that ten weeks will not be their last at the respective places they were placed.”  

08 September 2017, 12:00AM

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