Overcoming quite a lot to be where she is today, Jean-Marie Yalibu’s story serves as an inspiration to those currently going through a difficult situation that the Lord always provides and sees you through. “Growing up in a mission home, I never thought that I would experience some of the struggles I went through in my life, so I firmly believe that God provides always and that the best teacher is life.” Born and raised in Eastern Highlands, the Southern Highlands native and single mum of two is the General Services Manager for TotalEnergies. “I’m the youngest of four and the only girl; I have three older brothers.” “My parents were missionaries, so I was born and raised in mission compound run by the Summer Institute of Linguistics (SIL), where missionaries come from all over the world, live and dedicate their life to the local communities by educating, training and translating the Scripture. “ After spending the majority of her childhood in the quaint small mission site, she completed her secondary education at Aiyura National High School in 2009 before moving to Lae to pursue a Diploma in Civil Engineering at the National Polytechnic Institute of PNG. She finished her training in 2012 and soon after was hired as a Site Engineer at Shorncliffe 1965 Limited. "I had the option of working or continuing my education, but I decided to work due to the circumstances at the time." "I worked on both routine and emergency road maintenance projects on the Highlands Highway from Lae Main Wharf to Yung Creek in my first position as a site engineer." "Being out on the highway in the hot sun during those 'Road Doctor' days was exhausting but rewarding when I was pregnant with my first child." After a year and a half, she left Shorncliffe to work as a Site Manager for Regional Engineering and Construction (REC) Ltd. in 2014, where she was on-site full-time to build classrooms at Balop Teacher's Training College in Lae Morobe Province. “During that time that I was with REC, I wanted to continue my studies, and my employer granted approval to take courses at the International Training Institute (ITI) Lae campus. “So, I worked during the day and studied at night – I took night classes.” She started working at Pacific Adventist University (PAU) in 2016 as the Special Projects Manager. After her baby was born, she moved to Port Moresby and worked for PAU for four years as a single mother. She even finished the course she had begun at ITI in Lae and received a Diploma in Business Management from the Port Moresby campus. “I chose to focus on my career, and it became the support that I needed during the difficult times – I had found a purpose and a way to block out all the negative.” “Even if things were falling apart in my personal life, I would always show up to work on time and dedicated myself 100% to my career.” She eventually left PAU to work in the Property Division of Brian Bell Group. She made the decision to earn her degree because she was still passionate about her studies. She earned a Bachelor of Business Management from Divine Word University after accruing all of her allotted vacation days. She felt driven to apply after seeing an advertisement for her current job on her social media page and having friends suggest it to her. "I had no prior experience in the oil and gas industry, so I was both interested and apprehensive at the same time." "Despite being urged to apply, I decided to learn more about TotalEnergies worldwide and the kind of work they were doing in PNG." She oversees all office-related matters, including residential and commercial buildings, critical equipment, and housekeeping for the Upstream Logistics site in Gulf, the office in Port Moresby, and the logistics site out at AES. She works as part of a fully national team, which is led by a national female director, and is responsible for ensuring a safe and healthy working environment. “There’s a common respect of how far someone has worked to be where they are and so I appreciate that.” “Working for a big company such as TotalEnergies has really helped take me out of my comfort zone.” She credits God for bringing her this far in life, her children as being a huge driving force, and her parents, to be better for them. She shares a reminder that when you join an organization, if you have the right attitude and are willing to learn, you will go far in life. “My educational journey is not over yet; I am planning to pursue my master’s in management by God’s grace and timing.” “I am grateful to be in a conducive working environment; there are colleagues here that have extensive knowledge in their own profession with Oil & Gas and I am privileged to work with them.” “I have good support from my managers and the team around me, everyone is supportive, it excels me to want better for myself and the services I manage here at TotalEnergies.”