The Ministry of Labour in collaboration with the Liberia Manpower Development & Recruitment Services on Friday, December 14, 2012 launched a Career Awareness Program for High School Students in Buchanan, Grand Bassa County.

Held under the theme "Promoting Employable Skills" the program brought together seven High Schools within the City of Buchanan and its surrounding.

Speaking during the official launching program, Deputy Minister for Planning and Manpower Development, Atty. Neto Zarzar Lighe said the Ministry of Labour had reached the conclusion to place emphasis on career awareness for 11th & 12th Graders because at the high school level is where people make decision as relates to career.

Using himself as an example, the Deputy Minister said as a result of not been provided career awareness in high school, he ended changing from the Science College to the Business after spending some time at the University of Liberia.

For his part, the President of the Grand Bassa Community College, Dr. Levi Z. Zangar, Praised the Ministry of Labour for introducing such a program noting that it will help to determine their career paths.

He told the students that the private sector is the largest employment sector in Liberia and any other of the world and unless they have employable skills, no number of certificates will give them job.

"The biggest obstacle to reducing poverty in Liberia is the lack skill Liberians," Dr. Zangar noted.

Also speaking, the Consultant of the Liberia Manpower Development & Recruitment Services, Mr. Stanley Ford, said career awareness is an essential life skill that allows people to become more self-reliant and able to cope with rapidly changing labor market and maintain a healthy balance between work and life roles.

He also said career awareness is important because it helps students consider their choices and recognize that actions do have consequences; discover their strengths, practice critical thinking and develop interpersonal skills.

Other facilitators were Mr. Chapman Adams, County Education Officer, Grand Bassa County, Mr. Peri Krishnaswamy, Head of Project (Civil Engineering) AFCONS Infrastructure Limited, Mr. Joseph Sieh Collins, Country Manager (Geologist) SEMS Exploration amongst others.