Forty-one youths yesterday graduated from the Board of Industrial Train-ing’s Skills Training programme under the auspices of the Ministry of Social Protection’s, National Training Project for Youth Empowerment in Region Four.
The graduates who attended the Eccles Youth Skills and ICT Centre were awarded certificates in information technology, welding/fabricating and catering.
Minister of Social Pro-tection, Volda Lawrence, who was slated to deliver the feature address, was a no-show.
Technical Officer of the training programme Richard Maughn, who also chaired yesterday’s proceedings, said that the Board of Industrial Training has been in existence since 1910 and has been executing its mandate to train and equip youths with the necessary skills needed for their professional development in the world of work.
To loud applause, he said that a number of the graduates have already been offered jobs in their respective disciplines and it is now up to them to accept those offers.
He said that at the commencement of the programme, many of the students were unsure of the career paths they wanted to pursue, but was pleased with the transformation he saw by the end of the programme.
He said that they have learnt to be disciplined, focused and committed—qualities they need to possess for the professional world of work—and encouraged other youths to be a part of the programme.
Maughn expressed gratitude to the new government which he said has been fully supportive of the programme. He added that with the national budget being passed, it will provide the much needed scope for accelerating training across a wider range of disciplines.
Our aim is to “turn ordinary persons into extraordinary individuals,” he said.
In brief remarks, Benjamin Corlette, one of the trainers, charged the students to always commit themselves to the highest levels of professional development for sustenance in the job market, as opposed to being preoccupied with monetary gains—though that is also important.
In reflections, the graduates spoke of the positive impact the programme has had on their lives regarding chosen career paths, and the lasting friendships they have fostered. They expressed gratitude to their teachers for rendering to them, what they termed life-long advice.
While noting that the journey was sometimes challenging they expressed joy at completing it and openly said how proud they were to be graduating.
The trainers in attendance, reciprocated their gratitude in being associated with the programme and spoke of how honoured they were to be entrusted with the task of moulding young minds.
The audience was entertained through poetry, song, dance and skits performed by the graduates.
