The Tribune

Martiniqua Moxey, a Senior Research Officer in the Research Department of Central Bank of The Bahamas, is making strides in both the banking industry and in the community.

While some have faced challenges finding a good career fit right after college and navigating the early stages of their career, this has not been the case for Martiniqua.

Here, she shares her journey and offers advice for young Bahamian professionals who want to make an impact.

What do you do at Central Bank of The Bahamas?

My role is a dynamic one. A few of the things that I do include producing analytic briefs and reports; providing technical assistance and input on referred policy issues; assisting with special projects; forecasting macroeconomics indicators; and aiding the public in accessing information about the Central Bank and our monetary policies.

What was your educational path?

I attended the then College of The Bahamas for a year before going on to pursue a joint major in Economics and International Political Economy with an emphasis in Development Policy Studies at Trent University.

My education was partially funded through a Royal Bank of Canada (RBC) scholarship through the Canadian Lyford Cay Foundations.

As a part of my programme at Trent, I was able to study abroad at Jönköping University in Sweden for a year.

Without the scholarship, it would have been very difficult because the day that I received my scholarship was also the same day that I lost my father.

The scholarship gave me access to international opportunities, including being able to participate in a mock United Nations assembly in New York, explore an array of cultures and take full advantage of my university experience without stressing about tuition.

These experiences made me very marketable on returning home.

What challenges did you face finding employment?

Despite all my international experiences, I never wanted to work anywhere else other than home. I felt an obligation to my country to put what I learned into practice.

I believe it was my work experience during school that assisted me in quickly finding a career. After briefly working for RBC after returning home, I found out about the opportunity at Central Bank. Two weeks after I applied, I was hired and have been growing here professionally ever since.

I’ve been at Central Bank since 2012, and I try to keep myself marketable through education, volunteering and reading.

What advice do you have for young Bahamians who are looking for employment in their industry?

Have realistic expectations! You may not land your dream job right away, so take full advantage of each opportunity.

Then when you find your career, also find a hobby and turn that into a second income stream.

As a young person, don’t be afraid to break the mould and create your own!

As a professional on the rise, how do you contribute to the development of your community and to the nation?

I welcome any opportunity to work with young people. I currently volunteer on Saturdays as a tutor and mentor at a church in Coconut Grove.

Some of the students that I have worked with have gone from an F level in BJC English to later achieve As and Bs in BGCSE English. It’s not because I’m a great teacher, but it’s because I relate to them, make them feel comfortable and encourage them to find their own mistakes.

I also try to support Lyford Cay Foundations in any way that I can as an alumna.

I believe it’s important for Bahamian professionals to contribute to the country. It doesn’t take billions of dollars to create effective change.

Collectively, we need to all work toward a better future for our children. If you can do it, then why not do it?

NEXT WEEK: Building relationships to help achieve further academic goals

• “Gain An Edge” is a weekly collaboration of the Lyford Cay Foundations, Bahamas Technical and Vocational Institute and University of The Bahamas aimed at promoting a national dialogue on higher education. To share your thoughts, email gainanedge@tribunemedia.net.