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| Stephen Johnson |
The Vice President of Liberia, H.E Joseph Nyemah Boakai, the Minister of PublicWorks, Honourable Gyude Moore, the US Ambassador accredited near this capital,Madame Deborah Malac, Distinguished platform guests, PYPs, invited guests,foreign missions, members of the 4th estate, distinguished Ladies and gentleman, one and all!
Thank you so much for inviting us to talk to you today. I am delighted to be among so many familiar faces and so many dynamic professionals. Rising stars with huge prospects!
First and foremost, I would like to offer you my sincere congratulations to the PYPP as it celebrates 5 years of existence. As we say, the more anniversaries you celebrate, the longer you live. So, this is very exciting for you and for our country as a whole. It's a continued chance for you to shine.
It has been 5 years already! 5 years of being in the business of grooming some ofLiberia’s bright and brightest. 5 years of grooming men and women of brittle character many of whom find themselves gainfully employed either in the private or public sectors of our society and are equally so making tremendous contributions towards nation building and national renewal.
Founded in 2009, the PYPP has been an active and constructive group, creating employment opportunities for its members and providing excellent role models for young men and women starting out in professional life. As role models, each one of you in the room today can be an incredibly important stimulus to improving the career prospects of young people across Liberia. Let me openly confess, I have had a rewarding experience working with a few of your fellow PYPs. The likes of Amos Nyawleh Tubor, Frederick Cooper and Sarah McGill are among the finest professionals I have interacted with in my professional life. I am very positive that the same can be said for all of you at your respective areas of assignment.
Liberia is at a critical crossroads where the need for more skilled workers and the availability of employment opportunities are overwhelming.
Our country is in dire need of Doctors, Lawyers, Nurses, Engineers, Economists, Accountants and Social Workers etc. etc. The recent Ebola scourge brought to center stage the importance of building institutions with strong resilience and skilled human capital. The current humanitarian bubble as a result of the huge presence of foreign aid workers has helped to lend cushion to the economy. After the “CNN Effect”, we expect a huge decline in the economy. Amidst this, there is a decline in the prices of rubber and iron ore and due to the force majeure by big concessions, we expect to see further decline. Howbeit, there are potentials in the real sector.
Our post Ebola recovery plan will have to focus on roads, electricity, empowering Liberian professionals and entrepreneurs, health and education as well as building resilience in the delivery of social services to be able to withstand the “stress test” associated with post Ebola. If we have to remain competitive as a country, we will need cheap and affordable electricity in order to power the economy to the extent where it can create the kinds of large-scale jobs that would move our country into a middle-income country.
All of these points to the critical importance of the PYPP.
Now let me speak to you all from my heart and as a fellow young professional myself. When you hate what you do every day for eight hours, when you go to work only to receive your monthly salary - your life is not complete to say the least. I like the quotation by Elizabeth Kubler Ross who said, "People are like stained-glass windows. They sparkle and shine when the sun is out, but when the darkness sets in, their true beauty is revealed only if there is alight from within". The source of this inner light is love for everything that surrounds you - your family in the first place, but also your work! It should give you delight, ensure your professional and personal growth and provide you with a sense of achievement and importance of what you do.
Trust my experience: such people rarely gets bored with their work in the course of years and are much happier than disillusioned money-earners.
The most difficult thing here is to find the right kind of job. Every person is unique and is best suited to a particular sphere or position. You will never know which exactly is perfect for you until you try. Whatever sphere you choose, it should be your cup of tea, not just means to earn your living or beguile eight hours of your day. I call upon you to assume an active attitude to your career, and investigate the possible fields of interest right now,while you still have time to be mistaken and opportunity to work part-time. Two years is the term long enough to understand what you actually expect from your job and find at least the direction of your path. You will know the practical advantages of a definite job - and its drawbacks as well. The more you do now, the less confusion you'll feel when the vault of opportunities is flung open and you are welcome to go - but where? Even small working experience will help you to answer this question and find your true self by becoming a skilled professional.
According to my deepest conviction, a happy person is the person who always brings his own sunshine, wherever he goes and whatever the weather. Hope to see these sparks in you in your professional sojourn.
Thank you.
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