WOMEN’S HISTORY MONTH: Alainia Gibson – A testament to perseverance
ALAINIA Gibson is a client solutions supervisor at Guardian General Insurance Jamaica Limited in Montego Bay. Her journey to her current position has been filled with twists and turns, starting from humble beginnings in Elderslie, St Elizabeth, where she was born to a teenage mother. Gibson’s story serves as an inspiration to women everywhere to pursue their passions and never give up on their dreams.
Gibson’s name means precious, representing intuition, enlightenment, dreams and charisma, all qualities that she embodies. Her journey began in Mocho, St James, where she spent her formative years. She remembers accompanying her grandmother, who was a teacher at Cold Spring Basic School, when she was just one year old. This early exposure to education did not make her love school, but it instilled a drive to succeed.
Following her secondary education at Hampton School, Gibson completed her bachelor’s degree in data communication from the University of Technology. However, she struggled to find a job in her field and took temporary teaching jobs at her alma mater, and at Maldon High School. This allowed her to share her life experiences with the students, and she encouraged them not only to focus on academics, but also to get a skill to help them in life.
Gibson eventually landed a job as a customer service representative at a call centre, where her work ethic and drive earned her a promotion to the position of trainer.
She then discovered her interest in the insurance world and spent four years with a company as a customer service representative. She then received a call from Guardian General, but unfortunately, a non-compete clause in her job contract prevented her from taking the Guardian General job, so she returned to teaching at Maldon High School until she could take up the position as team lead at Guardian General Insurance Jamaica Limited.
Within one year, Gibson was promoted to supervisor, proving the importance of perseverance, and never giving up on one’s dreams. She is working on getting further certification in insurance studies, which will help her move up the ladder into a managerial role.
Gibson’s secrets for success include believing in God, constant prayer, ambition, hard work, determination, and dedication, never giving up, aiming for goals, continuously learning new things, and the desire to always help others.
As we celebrate Women’s History Month, Gibson has some nuggets of wisdom for young women:
•Don’t think you can do it on your own. Find a mentor who you can always reach out to for guidance.
•Don’t burn your bridges, you may find in the future that you need them to help you.
•Have plans, write them down, have a timeline for achievements and work towards them.
•Get a skill. Work towards having your own business, even if it’s something very small.
Alainia Gibson’s story is testament to the importance of perseverance and never giving up on one’s dreams. Her journey can serve as an inspiration to women everywhere to pursue their passions and never give up. She embodies the qualities of intuition, enlightenment, dreams, and charisma that her name represents.
