Sue’ina Va’atausili from Salelologa, Savaii says she has benefited from the online Project Management course funded by the US Government under the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).
The 22 year old Engineer for the Electric Power Corporation told Samoa Global News that the 5-month online course has broadened her knowledge and understanding of many aspects of project work. She says skills gained from this course gives her a competitive advantage as she advances her professional career in a workplace environment that is male dominated.
“Being an engineer comes with challenges, especially working around men who are the majority of engineers at EPC, but I love what I do, I love being an engineer and leading projects is an important part of our work,” she said.
Ms Va’atausili encourages young women and girls to consider taking up courses in the field of engineering.
“This is a fun and rewarding career which is not only for men, but for us women too,” Ms Va’atausili said.
Ms Va’atausili was the youngest among the 22 participants of the Project Management course who all received certificates presented by U.S. Embassy Charge d’Affaires, HE Mr Jon Yoo at a ceremony held at the DBS conference room yesterday.
Sueina started school at Salelologa Primary School and went on to Samoa College before attending the University Prepatory Year (UPY) at the National University of Samoa.
From there she was awarded a scholarship at AUT (Auckland University of Technology) where she graduated with a Bachelor of Engineering in 2018.
Ms Vaatausili was selected as a representative from EPC to attend the short course, designed to help Pacific Island countries become more resilient to environmental changes by strengthening their management skills to design and implement disaster resilience projects.
The young engineer acknowledged the usefulness of the course, adding that it would be an advantage for any government employee and even those working in the private sector and NGO’s to attend.
“It will surely benefit their respective organisations”.
Ms Va’atausili stays with her parents at Salelologa and works at the EPC branch in Savaii.
