In the beginning of April 2015, the Liberia YES Alumni Association small grant project team conducted the first phase of its Career Development Workshop in Gbarnga, Bong County. The two-day workshop brought together 75 students from five high schools within the city of Gbarnga and taught them how to select careers that match their skills, ambitions and passions. Guests from the Development Education Network of Liberia (Den-L), the Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA) and the Norwegian Refugee Council also facilitated sessions using real life situations and case studies to show challenges that young people often face when entering college. The presentations were interactive and provided the students with the opportunity to ask questions. By the end of the workshop, the participants created a ranked list of jobs in the order of their interest, and were able to explain what factors motived them to choose those job options. 

The second weekend-long career development training occurred from June 15-16. The 75 students returned, and this time, they learned about various career paths. Professionals from Cuttington University, the Development Education Network-Liberia (DEN-L), the Foundation for International Dignity (FIND), Radio Gbarnga, and the Gbarnga YMCA facilitated the training, and informed the students about possible careers in business, education, public administration, and natural science. The facilitators encouraged the participants to follow their passions when choosing a lifelong career. After that, Mr. Satoma Bolley, a professor at Cuttington University, taught the participants about the job market in Liberia and gave them tips on how to be competitive in the market. At the end of the training, the students felt inspired.