Liberia: ‘The Future Is Yours to Shape’

Graduates continue to pursue the worthwhile endeavor of looking for work after graduation, with some of these efforts yielding positive results and others falling short of expectations.

However, others embark on a business journey to become entrepreneurs, a direction that is being encouraged by business tycoon Upjit Singh Sachdeva.

In his keynote address at the sixth commencement convocation of the BlueCrest Liberia, one of the country’s top IT universities, Sachdeva (Jeety) noted that although Liberia is lagging behind the rapidly advancing technology revolution, it is worth celebrating that graduates of the BlueCrest University decided to pursue careers in information technology (IT), which are currently in high demand in Liberia.

Eighty-four (84) students on October 22, graduated from the BlueCrest University College with bachelor's degrees and diplomas in IT, bachelor’s degrees in business administration, and diplomas in fashion design. 

Even though Liberia is still a long way off from reaching its vision 2030 goal of becoming a middle-income nation, Sachdeva thinks that with the graduates setting the pace in this technological age, Liberia can achieve its 2030 goal.

“You have to recognize that Liberia depends on your knowledge to achieve vision 2030,” Sachdeva urged the graduates. “It is you and only you that have the power to take the necessary actions to alter and change the nation's development course.

“The future is yours to shape — with the force of your will — and your intellect, I am certain of a better future for Liberia, a country that is my home. I have lived in Liberia for more than three decades, so I know what I am speaking of.

“I have lived my whole adult life in Liberia; therefore, I am a Liberian by heart and an Indian by nationality. The Liberia you see today did not just happen,” Sachdeva noted. “The outgoing generation of mine, worked hard to bring it this far, now it is your turn. So, no matter what, you have to face these challenges but do so with unwavering dedication. This way, you can make a specific contribution to Liberia.” 

According to Sachdeva , the best way for these graduates and other Liberians in the IT sector to help the nation achieve its development goals is to get involved in creating concepts that work and that are relevant to the country’s development needs.

“As tech graduates, you must consider what the country needs and then work to make it a reality. So, start thinking about how you might serve your nation. It could be an idea that improves public transport; health management software that enhances healthcare delivery and quality of life; or a platform that promotes the beauty of Liberia to the world through tourism, to expand the country’s economy.

“You could also build a web-based platform that connects farmers directly to consumers in order to enable farmers across the country to have access to the market directly while accessing reasonable prices for their products. You can also do similar for stores selling construction materials: You can create an e-commerce platform that connects them directly with consumers. Better still, an app that provides music therapy to sick and elderly Liberians. "

Meanwhile, Dr. Umesh Neelakantan, president of BlueCrest Liberia, made a commitment on behalf of his institution to continue helping Liberia develop by offering top-notch higher education in a variety of information technology-related fields.

“BlueCrest in Liberia has been able to bring radical thoughts for more than three thousand learners as on date through the opportunities created dominantly via information technology. Since 2014, BlueCrest has imparted a mindset of progress among learners through different portfolios in Information technology. As on date, BlueCrest has evolved into advanced status of learning portfolios like Cloud computing, Cyber security, advanced Software programming, advanced Networking platform, Health Analytics, Data Science, Machine Learning and Deep learning technologies, big data analytics and many more. The world has progressed and will progress by integrating information technology into all personal, professional and social endeavors.”

Neelakantan, meanwhile, urged the government to invest more into education, as the country has a greater chance of benefiting immensely.

“Learning is a never-ending process, and it is mandatory that every government show the keenness to provide the fillip of progress to educational groups with farsightedness and strategic plans. Investing in education by the government should have no limits because the returns for the government are never calculated in terms of monetary benefit. Instead, the returns are translated for great citizens to evolve with newer thought perspectives, social initiatives, philanthropic quests, and great business initiatives.”