Seychelles NATION provides an avenue for career development for its employees |28 June 2021

Glenny Gamatis

While Seychelles NATION asthe national daily newspaper relies on a team of dedicated people with diverse skills and talents to be produced every day, at the same time many have gained experience and left while several others have availed of the opportunity provided by the paper to develop their personal skills as well as changed fields to further boost their career.

To commemorate this milestone anniversary of Seychelles NATION, we meet some of the employees who have seized the opportunity to move from one field to another in their career and personal development.

‘The management saw my writing potential and encouraged me’ – Patrick Joubert

“When I joined Seychelles NATION in 1984, I had no particular field of interest or a specific job in mind and it never dawned on me that I would still be here today as a journalist. I had just completed my secondary studies at Seychelles College and I was in search of a job. I recalled after the interview I was placed in one of the sections where there were vacancies and this is how I joined the photography section of the newspaper,” Patrick Joubert, former chief photographer now senior journalist,recounted.

He recalled joining another longtime and now seasoned photographer still working for the paper, Louis Toussaint, who had joined a year earlier.

“I learned how to handle a manual camera and everything about photography from seasoned photographer trainer Jurien Palmyre and after a couple of weeks I was ready and confident enough to go out on my own to take photos of news events for the newspaper. Over time I developed a keen interest to know more and love the job in which I have remained for 37 years. But two years ago I was asked if I could help out with some writing as there were many events happening at the same time to cover and all journalists had more than two events to cover. It was then that the editors saw my writing potential and encouraged me to write more and consider joining the pool of journalists,” Mr Joubert remembers.

“I was hesitant at the start to join the writing team but now that I am fully into it I am enjoying it.Like photography, it also allows me to meet a lot of important and interesting people and visit interesting places every day,” Mr Joubert says.

Every now and then he still has the opportunity to take photos.

While he enjoys his work, Mr Joubert admits that like any other job it comes with its challenges including unsociable hours but going forward, though he cannot predict what the future holds, Mr Joubert sees himself continuing to write and take photos for Seychelles NATION for many more years to come.

‘Turning a client’s wording into an attractive advertising piece is my greatest joy’– Marthe Joseph

“Designing adverts for clients who often come to me with only a few words and a vague idea of what they really want and also design and lay out the Seychelles NATION newspaper every day before printing, never crossed my mind when I joined the newspaper as a secretary in 1990,” Marthe Joseph recalls.

Currently Ms Joseph is occupying the post of senior graphic designer which include being responsible of the production and design unit, a position she assumed last year following the retirement of long-time production manager Vernay Dubois at the end of last year.

Ms Joseph recalled that she worked as a secretary in the Seychelles NATION newsroom for four years.

“During those days there were no computers and journalists had to write their articles by hand and after the editor had corrected them, the secretaries would do the typing. There were three or four of us secretaries in the newsroom back at Union Vale then. But after we moved to our present location in 1994 things started to change,” Ms Joseph recounts.

She remembers how one of the editors, Denis Rose who had just returned from overseas training, had brought new ways of doing things in relation to newspaper designs and productions. He lobbied for new modern equipment and training.

“It was then that computers were introduced and I was one who was keen on learning all the different computer programmes and I recalled Mr Rose encouraging me to do newspaper layout and designs on the computer. Uncertain at first but once I got the knack of things I loved and enjoyed it and still do,” says Ms Joseph.

From 1994 until now Ms Joseph has been working in the production unit designing the Seychelles NATION newspaper starting as a graphic technician, subsequently senior graphic technician until her present appointment. At the start she worked under the direction of production manager Maryline Julie and then moved under the leadership of Mr Dubois until he retired early last year.

“I really enjoy what I do and other than the newspaper I also do a variety of advertising designs, funeral booklets for a large number of clients and my greatest joy is when the newspaper comes out well with no mistakes and people congratulate me for my designs, when clients openly show their appreciation and encourage me. I really don’t regret I took the opportunity to change my field of work. It was a great opportunity for me and I am very grateful to Nisa for providing me the avenue to move to another field in the organisation,” says Ms Joseph.

She notes that the only challenge is the irregular working hours which even though she has become accustomed to, often impacts on her social and family life. Difficult clients who are hard to please can also be a challenge sometimes but with her skills and experience Ms Joseph patiently pacify them.

Going forward Ms Joseph’s biggest wish is to see the production unit modernised with some more modern equipment introduced, a possibility that the management had started to talk about but has now gone way out of reach as Covid-19 impacts heavily on Nisa’s revenue. But all the same Ms Joseph is happy for the opportunity to continue to please clients and readers with her designs.

‘I joined Seychelles NATION as a cleaner now I am a sales assistant’ – Rose-Marie Juliette

When she transferred from her job as a cleaner at the Central Bank to continue in the same position but in a new environment at Seychelles NATION way back in 1993, young Rose-Marie Juliette was just in search of a new workplace.

“I liked what I was doing as I was earning a salary and that was all that mattered to me then,” says Ms Juliette. But one day, 17 years later, the then director /chief editor Sylla Abdoulaye asked me about my interest and ambitions in life and he offered me the position which was vacant. I was really uncertain after having been a cleaner for so long but he was so encouraging and he pushed me to try my hands at something else pointing out that nothing can stop me from moving on in my life by taking a new opportunity,” Ms Juliette recalls.

“So here I am a sales assistant in the advertising department since 2010 and I have learned a lot of things and I am really grateful to Mr Sylla – who always used to tell me that ‘you are not that stupid you can do better than that’ – for offering me the opportunity that was available at that time. I have come to love what I do. I meet and interact with a lot of different people every day,” says Ms Juliette. But she admits that the job comes with its load of ups and downs but still with the blessing of God she perseveres and continues to enjoy what she does.

Going forward,although she cannot predict what the future holds, Ms Juliette is convinced she will remain in her position for many more years to come, God willing.

‘It took a lot of convincing, encouragement before I embraced the transition’– Marie-Josée Edmond

Assuming the position of data entry clerk at Seychelles NATION in June 1996 was her first job after she had completed clerical training at the Seychelles Polytechnic.“I really did not know what to expect then but soon enough I started to like the job, the friendly working environment and the fact that there were lots of learning possibilities. Every day I learned new things,” Mrs Edmond points out. Over the years she received several promotions in her area of work and with the introduction of the newspaper website, at one point she was responsible to update the website everyday something she still does every now and then in spite of her new responsibilities.

It was in July 2020 that a position in the Sales and Marketing Department became vacant and in spite of having had the opportunity previously to help out with advertising, Mrs Edmond was not too excited when she was offered the new position.

“I have never attended to clients directly before and I was really afraid I would offend them and I did not want that. I took some time to consider the proposition and it took a lot of convincing and encouragement from my superiors before I decided to finally embrace the transition,” Mrs Edmond recalls.

Still she is adapting to the new demands of her new position but she says it is a long process as everyday brings something new.

“I believe it was a good move after all but it is not smooth sailing as everyday brings its exigencies and the challenges are many,” Mrs Edmond says.

But looking to the future she says she always turns to the Almighty for strength and courage to face each day.

‘I always want to move forward in my career development’–Brenda Larue

When she joined the newspaper as a receptionist in 2001, she always dreamt of furthering her professional and personal development and not remain in the same position all the time.

She welcomed the promotion to office assistant in 2010, a position which gave her new responsibilities. She remained in the position for two years before assuming a new position in the Sales and Marketing Department.

“I enjoy what I do as I always want to move forward in my career development and I will always welcome any opportunity that presents itself to me,” says Mrs Larue.

‘I never for once regret my decision’– Glenny Gamatis

Glenny Gamatis joined the National Information Services Agency (Nisa) that produces the Seychelles NATION newspaper since 2010 as a part-time driver in 2014. He occupied the position until 2015 when a new position at the printing house presented itself after the newspaper invested in its own printing facilities.

“When I saw the opportunity I asked for a transfer there and I’ve never for once regretted my decision. I followed intense training and gradually I learned a lot more things about printing on the job and until now I have not looked back,” says Mr Gamatis, who now holds the position of senior press operator.

“I really enjoy my job in spite of the irregular hours which at the start was an inconvenience for my social life,” Mr Gamatis admits. But because he loves his new job, over time he became accustomed to the late shifts. Now he is in charge of the printing department and he enjoys what he does.

‘It was a wise decision that I took to move in the position’ – Egelle Larue

She joined Nisa in 2015 as a procurement and admin officer, a position she occupied for four years until June 2019 when she transferred to her current position of human resource and administration officer.

“Looking back I can say it was a wise decision that I took to move in the position which would in the long run be beneficial to me and my future career development compared to if I were to remain in my previous post,” says Mrs Larue.

She says she enjoys what she does and is looking forward for further progression in her career.

‘I am happy I am able to handle the responsibilities that come with the position’ – Drucilla Mangroo

Drucilla Mangroo joined Nisa in 2016 as a temporary procurement officer but only a year later she was appointed audit technician, a position she occupied until June 2019 when she assumed her current position of senior operations officer at the printing department which include overseeing all printing, pre-press and collating works at the printing department.

“I really enjoy what I am doing. I was offered the opportunity but I was a bit uncertain if I would accept or not because it was new to me and I had no experience but then I said why not try it out and see how things go. Until now I feel fine and I have no regrets. I am happy I have been able to handle all the responsibilities that come with the position. I have learnt a lot on the job as I go along and now I am more confident and so far I am doing well and I am happy,” Ms Mangroo says.

For her as well the only big challenge is the odd working hours but other than that she is doing fine. “What I appreciate more is that I was never expecting to see myself in a field that I had not studied formerly for but I seized the opportunity that was available to learn on the job. I enjoy the working environment and good teamwork,” adds Ms Mangroo.

Long-serving employees

As the newspaper celebrates its milestone anniversary it also acknowledges some of its longest serving employees who still remain devoted to their work. They are namely: Brenda Confait (42 years of service), Patricia Payet (41), Louis Toussaint (39), Patrick Joubert (38), Marie-Anne Lepathy (33), Robert André (32), Marthe Joseph (31), Gerard Govinden (29), Joena Meme (28), Annette Joubert (28), Rose-Marie Juliette (28) and Marie-Josée Edmond (25).

Compiled by Marie-Anne Lepathy