Kalsy aiming for the top

R HONDA Kalsy, 23, from Southern Highlands, is aiming for the top.
She is determined to work her way up from her current job as a junior sales representative with Super Value Store (SVS).
Right now she wants to master the art of sales and marketing and see herself working for a multi-national company.
In 2017, Rhonda took a job with Pacific Panamax Ltd before she switched to SVS as a junior sales rep. This opportunity came by easily, right after she completed the PNG Youth at Work programme facilitated by the National Youth Development Authority (NYDA) in Port Moresby.
Rhonda is second born in a family of five, elder brother is Andy, younger brother Brandy and her baby sister Sandy. Her Daddy Kalsy is self-employed while her mum runs a tailor business at Waigani market.
She completed grade 10 at Gerehu Secondary School in 2014 and was unable to continue. For three years it was a rather an aimless life, living with her parent’s until NYDA came along in 2017.
Rhonda was among a group of 10 young people from Gordon, 7-Mile, East Boroko, Central Waigani, 9-Mile, Cherry 3 and Morata 2 picked by staff from NYDA to do a PNG Youth at Work programme.
The programme was all about “just do it approach” introduced by South Pacific Commonwealth (SPC) through giving young people an opportunity for some form of employment.
The programme was spearheaded by NYDA, a two-week session to accomplish a two-phase training, indoor training and engagement to partner institution (on-the-job training) without any costs.
The indoor training focused on several topics under life skills and leadership programme which some partner institutions, including driving (PNG Driving School) and security training institutions (G4S security and Sone Dog Guard Security) offering lessons.
Rhonda and her colleagues completed the first phase programme and were released home with advice to remain alert for their next phase. Among them four youths never attended school.
Rhonda said she learnt a lot during the training and her thinking pattern changed. After a month she was call back to undergo a further six-week training with Pacific Panamax Ltd, a sales and marketing company).
The other nine youths were also called in and were assigned on-the-job-training with different partner institutions.
After six weeks Rhonda secured a position as a sales representative and worked for another 18 months with the company.
She encountered some personal issues with immediate family members and resigned in 2018. After that she used her reference from the Pacific Panamax Ltd and NYDA to apply for jobs while remaining out of job for a year.
She then struck a job with Super Value Store (SVS) as a sales representative in April 2019.
Rhonda said SVS bosses were “impressed with my job experience and reference”.
“They offered the job quicker then I imagined.”
She thanked NYDA for the initiative that helped her build confidence to find a job.
Rhonda is now renting a flat at Young Women’s Christian Association (YWCA) at 2-Mile Hill.