Every profession carries equal importance. Whether you sit behind a desk or work with your hands, your contribution is vital. A plumber is as important as a lawyer, a mechanic as valuable as an accountant, and an electrician just as critical as a CEO. It’s time we recognize and respect every role in building our society.
A Nation at a Crossroads
Take a moment to look around you. On every roadside, in every so called mechanic’s garage, you’ll see abandoned electronic cars. These cars symbols of progress in many other parts of the world are silently reminding us of a crucial challenge we must face. The future is coming, and it’s electric. But are we ready? Where are our skilled diagnostic technicians? Where are the necessary tools and equipment? Right now, we are not prepared, and that means the jobs of tomorrow are already slipping through our fingers.
A Labour Market with Untapped Potential
The truth is that jobs are here in The Gambia, but many are being filled by workers from other countries. Drive past any construction site, and you’ll see workers from Senegal. Visit the garages, and you’ll find mechanics from Guinea. Walk through our fishing towns, and you’ll find Senegalese and Malian hands hauling the nets.
Our youth are not lazy. They are ambitious and eager, but too often they are not equipped with the skills they need to take on these jobs. This is not their failure; it is ours. We must ensure that our youth are prepared to thrive, not just survive.
A Nation That Can Build Its Own Future
We have the potential to build our own future. Right now, we rely too heavily on foreign workers because we have not invested in training our own youth to take on essential roles like mechanics, builders, or technicians. This is not just an economic issue it is a matter of pride and self sufficiency.
Our young people deserve the opportunity to stay and thrive in their own country, contributing to its growth. Unfortunately, many feel there is no future for them here, and they leave on dangerous journeys, risking their lives to find opportunities elsewhere.
The Human Cost of Inaction
The consequences of inaction are not just economic they are personal and deeply tragic. Consider the story of Lamin, a 16 year old Gambian boy who dreams of becoming a mechanic. He cannot access proper training, so he works in a roadside garage, earning little while foreign workers dominate the big contracts. Frustrated and without hope, Lamin takes the backway and tragically loses his life in the process.
How many Lamins must we lose before we recognize that we have a responsibility to create opportunities for them right here, at home?
The Time to Act Is Now
The world is moving forward, and our neighboring countries are already investing in training their youth to meet international standards. The Gambia must act now to ensure we do not fall further behind.
A Blueprint for Change
1. Conduct a Labour Market Audit
We need to understand the gaps in our labor market. Let’s assess the jobs we are losing to foreign workers and identify the skills needed to train our youth.
2. Introduce Career Guidance in Schools
Career guidance should start early. By the age of 13, every Gambian child should be informed about their career options whether in diagnostics, fishing, construction, or IT.
3. Build World Class Technical Colleges
It’s time to build institutions that provide training and certification that meets global standards. Our youth should be able to work anywhere in the world, armed with the skills and knowledge they need.
4. Mandatory Certification
Every mechanic, builder, and technician must be certified. These certifications must be recognized and respected, both in The Gambia and internationally.
5. Equip Our Youth
Training is not enough. We must provide the tools and resources that allow our youth to succeed. By equipping them with the right equipment, we give them a fighting chance in the job market.
We Can’t Afford to Wait
If we do not act now, foreign labor will continue to dominate our industries. Gambian youth will continue to leave in search of better opportunities. And The Gambia will risk becoming a graveyard not only for electronic cars but for the dreams of its young people.
This is not just a call to action it’s a call to accountability. The jobs of tomorrow are within our reach, but we must rise to meet the challenge. This is about dignity. It’s about pride. It’s about reclaiming our future.
If Not Us, Then Who? If Not Now, Then When?