By AIVA TAMATE
While the majority of her classmates were attending the course under full company scholarship, young Jacquilyn Dou was paying her own way through small installments.
This was money she said she had earned through the informal sector.
It was the closing day of their five-day intensive workshop and each of the participants were being called up to receive their certificates.
By the closing day, Jacquilyn would have paid the final installment for the course and was proud of her achievement.
Course facilitator, Amanda Watson a Communication Arts Lecturer at Divine Word University in Madang said Jacquilyn had stood out among her peers.
Yes, Jacquilyn was unemployed but her course mates had gained much knowledge from her as she had from them. It goes to show that being unemployed does not make you invalid or useless in anyway.
Ms Watson described Jacquilyn as a role model for other unemployed youth.
More of our countrymen and women should be encouraged to do the same she said adding "Human resource is our greatest asset".
Ms Watson assured the participants that they were going to be sent follow-up exercises upon return to their work places to help them put into practice what they had learnt.
Jaquilyn aged 27 is determined to put into practice what she has learnt.
The course was Advanced Communication Skills, offered by the Communication Arts department through the DWU's business arm, Diwai Pacific Ltd, for people in non-government and government organisations looking to improve their skills and become effective communicators.
Ms Dou of Oro and Southern Highlands parentage had moved to Madang from Goroka in February 2006 with a family of ten children, six blood relatives and four adopted.
This factor was the reason for her individual struggles, some children were able to further their education while others could not.
However, Jacquilyn always looks on the bright side of things and was not hindered by financial obstacles.
"My father is the only one working at the moment so we all have to pitch in and do our bit to help," Jacquilyn said.
"The advantages of working the informal sector is that you see the fruits of your labour everyday and even earn more than what the average worker can earn in a fortnight," she reflected.
Jacquilyn said "I wanted to do the course because I needed skills in writing and this course was very useful to me. In my previous jobs where I was very much involved in marketing I was able to develop inter-personal skills. Again in the informal-sector a lot of business is done through inter-personal skills and it can also teach you some of the greatest lessons in life."
Jacquilyn had worked previously with Konica and Lae Biscuit Company some years back and was able to draw from those experiences. However, working the informal sector, Jacquilyn also refined her skills while working alongside different people, getting to know them and developing an interest in Human Resource Management.
"I am also taking a course in human resource with the Faculty of Flexible Learning because I am interested in working in an office that deals with Human Resource. I am interested in people and our country's most important resource is its people."
"I want to encourage young and old people that you never stop learning until you close your eyes," she said.
Jacquilyn looks forward to a brighter future, one that would bring more career prospects and being single, allow her the time to keep her job opportunities open.




 

Previous | Back to Top | Next