Joyce never gives up on her dreams

By JOYCE INGIPA
JOYCE Ngai, 37, from Komo in Hela believes that life has a different plan for one to what one wants.
Joyce is married to a man from her province. They have a nine-year-old daughter and five-year-old son.
She grew up in the village where her parents worked hard on the land to provide for her needs.
“I completed my primary schooling in 1988 from Dauli Demonstration Primary School and went on to Koroba High School where I completed Grade 10 in 1997.”
In 1998, she was accepted to do a basic secretarial course at a privately-owned college in Mt Hagen. She received a certificate in 1999.
“I realised that the knowledge gained was not enough to get me a good job. I felt I needed more. I applied for an Oil Search sponsorship to undertake Stenography at the Goroka Technical College.”
In 2001 Joyce received a pre-employment technical training stenography certificate at the college.
She worked for various companies as a general administration officer from 2003 to 2014 including Ramu Agri Industries, Clough Curtain Joint Venture and Halliburton Baroid which was drilling waste facility on the PNG LNG Upstream project.
“While attached with Halliburton Baroid project I was hired to do HR support duties. At first it was a challenge for me because human resource was not my field. I had little knowledge of HR.”
But Joyce was motivated to develop her skills in that field.
“In 2016, when the Halliburton Baroid project wound down, I applied to do a diploma in human resource course at the Divine Word University.”
She encountered challenges while studying because she was unemployed and her children were small and needed her attention at home. So she withdrew during the second semester and went back home to Tari.
“To reach a goal is not easy. It requires considerable time, maximum effort and resources.
“I withdrew in semester two as I was financially handicapped to progress any further. Besides, I had my little kids who needed me.”
Without a job, Joyce waited patiently praying that one day she would continue her studies.

“ Having a positive mindset, I motivate and inspire my colleagues and families to think outside of the box and get back to studies because education does not stop unless you do.”

“I started looking out for opportunities and received an offer from Hides Energy Services Limited (HESL) as a HR officer in September 2016. I later moved onto be Compliance Officer. It was a job and a blessing given from above.”
With her new role at HESL, Joyce decided to continue her studies from where she left off.
She graduated with a diploma from the Divine Word University this year.
“My next dream is to walk up the aisle wearing my dreamed hood and gown, and a degree paper in my hand fulfilling my dreams.
“A better tomorrow is my foremost dream. My determination now is to secure a scholarship which will enable me to take up full-time studies and make my dream a reality because the future belongs to those who dream about the beauty of their dreams.
“Having a positive mindset, I motivate and inspire my colleagues and families to think outside of the box and get back to studies because education does not stop unless you want it to.”