550 young Liberians troop for job training

Some 550 young Liberians between ages 18 and 35 on Wednesday March 1, turned out to participate in a job fair at the Paynesville City Hall outside Monrovia, enabling the participants, some of whom are students to interact and build contacts with potential employers and recruiters while training is being carried out.

Along with Mercy Corps and other supporters including Coca Cola Africa Foundation, the Youth Empowerment Service or YES Liberia is implementing a two – day job training initiative launched Wednesday, 1 March at the Paynesville City Hall by Assistant Youth and Sports Minister Kula Fofana.

The two – day event began with a five – member panel discussion in which participants were enlightened on some of the factors that keep potential employees jobless, and how they could overcome such problem.
In an overview, Mercy Corps representative Mr. Harry G. Doblah said YES Liberia is seeking to empower young people in African countries including Kenya, Uganda and Liberia, and the first job fair in Liberia is being funded by Liberia Coca Cola Bottling Company or LCCBC.

Mr. Doblah said a team was outside the hall and at the Youth Opportunity Center near the City Hall to render Curriculum Vitae writing advice to participants to enable them write CVs that will be professionally appealing.
Keynote Speaker Minister Kulah Fofana, who proxy for Youth andvSports Minister Mr. Saah N’Tow, had said youth​ ​empowerment and employment remain major​ ​challenges​ ​in​ ​Liberia,​ ​despite all of​ ​government’s​ ​effort.​

She said her Boss, Mr. N’Tow was very​ ​excited​ ​by​ ​the​ ​initiative​ ​that​ ​brought together young people between​ ​800​ ​to​
​a​ ​thousand​  ​to​ be trained ​in​ ​various​ areas.
MsFofana alluded to argument that education and training ​are​ ​expected​ ​to​ ​play​ ​crucial​ ​role​ ​in​ ​helping​ ​to​ ​promote employment, but they are not guarantee for ​receiving​ ​the​ ​desired results here due to ​evidence​ ​that​ ​a lot of job​ ​seekers​ ​lack​ ​the​ ​experience.

She said Minister N’Tow will be communicating with​ ​Mercy Corps and​ ​partners ​for the elevation of the program and extension beyond Monrovia.

Prospects Program Manager, Mr. Nate Crossley said 550 young people attended, and the focus was to train them and have them interact with employers.
LCCBC Communication Manager Mr. Victor George challenged the participants that those who were job ready could come face – to – face with the company.-Edited by Othello B. Garblah