Botswana March 2006 |
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| Company offers jobs overseas, (Echo, 2006-03-02):-Lorato Diketso (not her real name) is excited that soon she will be headed to the United States of America, on a trainee programme that she believes would open doors of opportunity for her. For the service, this Australian-educated media communications graduate had to pay MTC-Experience Abroad around P20 000. Based at the Gaborone International Commerce Park MTC-Experience Abroad is a company that offers overseas internships, trainee positions, seasonal work as well as work and travel services to young people. "I have opted for a 24-month program working in public relations. I will only be working for six hours a day, which would enable me to do other part time jobs. I would be earning no less than US $1,500 a month," she reveals. She is happy that she is not forced to come back to Botswana at the end of her programme unless she is without a job. "I have faith in the arrangement. I know people who have used MTC's services who are now happily employed and living abroad. I hope to be able to get a job even after the program has ended," she says. Although she concedes that the initiative may be contributing to the brain drain in this country, which has seen young professionals leaving for greener pastures abroad, she argues that she is left with no choice. She contends that the country is going to benefit in the long run as she is going to come back home with new ideas and valuable work experience that could contribute meaningfully to the development of Botswana. "Government did not just train us to come back and sit at home doing nothing. There are no job opportunities here. Graduates are roaming the streets. Some have tried venturing into business, but most of the enterprises fail due to lack of funds. The department of Culture and Youth does not fund graduates,"says Diketso who graduated from LaTrobe University in Australia. MTC-Experience Abroad's Chief Executive Officer, Cecilia Patterson explains that her organisation is not an employment agency that finds people professional jobs but an educational youth travel consultancy. The first of its kind, MTC-Experience was established in 1997. Patterson says that cultural exchange programmes with special visas allow youth to get employment in the host country, be it a professional job or not. "The idea is to earn income to sustain living expenses while on cultural exchange and academic programs like MBA. What we are doing is encouraging young people to travel the world and unleash their full potential. The programs are usually of six to18 months," she says. According to Patterson, her company has had a very good response amongst the youth (18-38 age range) across all sexes. She adds that they look set to grow a culture of travelling. "MTC believes in self improvement, career and professional development, and the enhancement of college learning through practical training including hands-on experience and social interaction," she says. | |
South African Migration Project (SAMP) - Queen's University - http://www.queensu.ca/samp |