Hailed as a day of celebration, commendation and progression on Friday two hundred and twenty – three youth from across Guyana successfully graduated from the Ministry of Education’s Youth Entrepreneurial Skills Training (YEST) Programme.
Withstanding the rigours of courage, hard work order and discipline the grandaunts underwent ten months of training in nine skills training areas at the KuruKuru Training Center before receiving certification.
Those areas included Business Studies, Carpentry, Electrical Installation, Furniture making, Garment Construction, Masonry, Motor Mechanics, Plumbing and Sheet metal, Refrigeration and Air-condition, Welding and Fabrication and Drivers Education programme at the Kuru Kuru Training Center which began in October, 2016.
Of these thirty-two (32) were bestowed with awards for outstanding performances Kevin Wellington who was bestowed with the award for being the best Carpentry Student also received the accolade of best graduating trainee. All told they withstood the training out of an original total of the two hundred and fifty-eight (258) that started the course.
As part of their training was offered and took up stints at various private agencies which have since offered the trainees permanent employment and continue to express their interest in doing so. The organisers have expresses the hope that the partnerships are strengthened in an effort to promote a higher level of sustainability for young people.
Permanent Secretary Melissa Tucker addressing the grandaunts of this course as she had done for those at Vryman’s Erven Training Center, New Amsterdam and The Sophia Training Center offered heartiest congratulations and best wishes on Hon. Minister Nicolette Henry’s behalf.
The 13th batch of graduating students was also hailed for their perseverance, dedication and commitment which they displayed over the past ten months period that helped them to realise their dreams of being qualified with much-needed skills that they will take into their professional lives.
Reflecting, PS Tucker noted that while when they first took up the challenge not being sure of what to expect; the difference was notable in their mannerisms, personalities and creative abilities, the latter of which was on showcase as part of a mini exhibition of their works. “You are graduating here today because you have fulfilled the requirements for your certification,” P.S Tucker told the gathering of beaming face.
These opportunities, PS Tucker noted “were created for you to realise your potentials and you grasped them.” The motto for Youth Entrepreneurial Skill Training is ‘Creating Opportunities, Realising Potentials
While P.S Tucker dubbed as unfortunate, the non-completion of the training by some of the original 258 who started the course she posited that too many of young people start out very enthusiastically on training in different forms and levels, but somewhere along the journey lose focus, become distracted or fail to exhibit the kind of discipline that is necessary for success. “They give up too easily; they allow the opportunity to develop themselves to go by… one of the things you cannot regain or recall is a lost opportunity. Too many youths express regret at not making good use of the opportunities they would have had to develop themselves and today they can make no meaningful contribution to the development of their communities.”
The youths while being celebrated for staying the course were advised that the training they received at the institution has made them marketable and has placed them in a position to practice their craft; develop your skills and earn a living for yourselves; support the other members of your family; develop the communities from which you have come, and by extension that of the country. You are now given the opportunity to start from a very humble beginning into something big,” PS Tucker advised.
A noted example is that fact that many of the existing big businesses started out small in like fashion as those graduating and it was against this backdrop that they were encouraged to “become your own boss providing employment for other young people.”
The graduates were also advised that as a result of the training received that have become marketable and were admonished to “… go out there and make a name for yourselves. Be ambitious and try to improve on your trade. Be the best cosmetologist; be the best home repairer; be the best data operator; be the best cook. Build a reputation for yourselves. When persons want service in your area of competence, you should be the first person they must want to come to because of the quality of work that you produce.”
Further P.S Tucker underscored that fact that “The Ministry of Education Department of Culture, Youth and Sport recognises the importance of empowering the youth of this nation, and has therefore been conducting training such as this across the country.”
After receiving instruction in remedial mathematics and English, as well as Information Technology, the Youth from across Guyana, graduated from the Ministry of Education Department of Culture Youth and Sports, Youth Entrepreneurial Skills Training (Y.E.S.T) programme. On Thursday 91 graduated from the Vryman’s Erven Training Center while on Friday 101 from the Sophia Training Center had the same honour as did the 223 from the Kuru Kuru Training Center.
The YEST courses offer continuing educational advancement to out-of- school, unskilled and unemployed youth aged 16-25 years drawn from across all ten administrative regions.
As part of the training, all trainees benefited from Educational tours, field trips, sporting activities; participation in national and religious activities, counselling sessions and workshops on the use of illicit drugs.
Some 46 of these trainees are now recipients of Drivers’ licenses, compliments of the Guyana Police Force.
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