Desperate for work

THE EDITOR: I am a 20-year-old female who has managed, fortunately, to attend school, work hard and obtain a sum of ten passes. I am currently unemployed and very much needing someone to tell me why. I attended a Composite School for five years where I achieved six passes in the science area. Then I attended a College to do the Advanced Levels and achieved four additional passes. Since leaving school, I’ve had a temporary job at a printery and then I did the six month On-the-Job-Training Programme as a lab assistant at a school.

I’ve applied, twice since I left school, to the Service Commission. I recently went in to them and was told that I have to wait until they are reviewing 2003 applicants (the year I first applied) to be considered for a job. Currently, they’ve reached the year 1998. I’ve been going through the classifieds, calling and calling back, applying and reapplying (twice to the Trinidad and Tobago Coast Guard) and even been told I’m overqualified!  Can you even imagine that? I wonder what they say to the holders of Degrees and Masters, because there are a lot of them having the same problems as I am.

There are a lot of things being said about young people today often in the negative. Let it be known though, that there are a lot of young people trying to do the positive, and keep getting doors slammed in their faces. What kind of future does society expect from us? How does Government expect to achieve 2020 Vision with this kind of infrastructure in place? I am appealing to Mr Manning and his Government and to employers alike, to see this issue for what it is and make a better attempt to reach out to youths. We have long since become frustrated with this kind of treatment.

NATASHA MORRIS
Eight Avenue
North Barataria