Close to 500 students attended the Summer Youth Employment Program that kicked off on Monday where the Human Resources Director, Sonny Thompson, praised Governor Lolo Matalasi Moliga and Lieutenant Governor Lemanu P. Mauga and their administration for making it possible again this year for some 500 to 600 of our youth to be employed under this program.

Thompson said in his opening remarks that in his view as the Director of HR, the governor and lieutenant governor “made a very bold, aggressive, morally correct and calculated decision to tackle the issue of unemployment beginning with our youth, by introducing them at a very early age to the work place. The government needs to provide employment for any and all young men and women who ASG sent to higher learning under Scholarships, ASG Student Loans, or those who paid their own way - it was the right decision to make.”

He further stated that under this administration an Apprenticeship Program is already in place and more than 50 returned college graduates with bachelors or masters degrees are now working for the government or private sector, with their beginning salaries of $23K and $27K respectively, to gain work experience in the field of their choice.

Furthermore, an Internship Program is also in place to allow those students returning home for the summer to work and earn some money before they return to school to complete their degrees.

Thompson said the underlying hope is not only to gain work experience, but perhaps to help our youth decide a different area of study if they so choose, and one which will benefit themselves and fulfill the future skills and trade needs of American Samoa’s economy.

“Our unemployment issues are no more serious, no more different or uncommon from those of our Pacific neighbors or isolated from those in the United States and globally, for that matter”

“In fact the current trend of unemployment among college graduates is at least 80%.  Getting a college degree and especially in a less-marketable area is compounded when our youth do not have some kind of work experience or certification and some competency in trades and technology fields.”

 The HR Director said other important parts of this complex equation is trying to secure funds; equally important and perhaps most demanding is sustaining employment by teaching our youth work ethics, right attitudes, and other work related behavioral necessities.

 He stated that unless they work together now to resolve this current issue, it will become more difficult and more costly with time.

“We all need to work together with the Department of Education and the American Samoa Community College to make sure the curriculum focuses not only on the academic side but by securing means to create skills and trades in technologies so our youth can have the best of both worlds — academics and marketable skills and trades. 

“We have an aging workforce and we need to train and provide our youth with the necessary expertise and experience to prepare them not only to take this government to new heights, but to give them better jobs and a better life for themselves; and most importantly, generations to come.”

“I want to thank the President of the Senate; the Speaker of the House and both the Senate and House of Representatives for approving additional funds ($200K) as requested by the administration to help Ms. Makerita Enesi, Deputy Director, Employment and Training Division of DHR, and her staff. They have done a superb job implementing this vital part of capacity building and human capital investment.”

“Any money spent on preparing our youth for tomorrow, is absolutely money well spent,” Thompson stated.

He further thanked DOC Director Keniseli Lafaele, for releasing some of the federal  Community Service Block Grant (CSBG) and Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds toward providing employment for our youth.

The HR Director also thanked Director Apisa Pete Poumele, Chairman of the WIA Workforce Board for their commitment and support in approving funds for our youth.

He went on to thank the private sector and non-profit organizations for supporting the effort to assist our younger generation’s transition into the workforce.

The HR Director ended by once again thanking the governor and the lieutenant governor for their vision, and for taking the lead and initiative to secure the future of American Samoa through its youth employment training and development.

“it’s not easy nor inexpensive, but the timing is right and it’s a morally correct decision to make,” he said as he welcomed students who were present.