Frances Baar, a young graduate with a bachelor of science degree in mining engineering, did not dream of getting a place easily where she would practice her career following studies at the University of Liberia (UL). Her thought was predicated upon the fact that the environment has limited opportunities to find an internship program that will orientate the many young graduates coming out of colleges and universities.
Following her graduation two years ago, Baar began visiting the Ministry of Mines and Energy, seeking a space to do an internship program that will expose her to the mining environment, but in an environment where illicit mining dominates legal mining she found it difficult to meet her professional desire during the search.
Without relenting, she applied for the ArcelorMittal Liberia Advanced Scholarship program and the Young Professional Program (YPP) simultaneously, and fortunately for her on the YPP she was called, interviewed, and accepted for the internship program that she commenced last year.
Baar expressed high appreciation for being one of those successful candidates to practice her mining career with ArcelorMittal Liberia.
“I graduated in 2020 from the University of Liberia as a mining engineer and applied for the YPP program. I was accepted and I came here as a mining engineer intern at ArcelorMittal, and so I am grateful,” Baar said.
In continuation of her appreciation to AML, Frances said, “When I got through with my studies at the University of Liberia, I did not find a mining company where I could go to practice, but since I came here I have been able to come across most of what I studied at the university,” Baar disclosed.
As she explores a variety of practical mining activities, Frances Baar is desirous of going further to learn the mining software for giving flash reports.
Frances, dispelling the common stereotypic notion “tough career like mining is only for men”, is proud to state that she and other women have broken the glass ceiling and are performing the same tasks as men do.
Frances is also proud of her supervisors in the Gangra pit where she is assigned. She is pleased that all of them are willing to teach her what she needs to know and is confident that she will have a successful career.
