Another batch of employees from Sterling Products Ltd (SPL) graduated on Tuesday from its literacy programme, which is now in its tenth year.
A simple ceremony was held in the company’s boardroom to mark the occasion at which various company executives, officials from the Ministry of Education and the Clerical Commercial Workers’ Union (CCWU) participated.
SPL’s Chief Executive Officer, Ramsay Ali, said the programme has been successful mainly due to employees’ eagerness to learn and the willingness and commitment to teach them, on the part of those who dedicated their time in this regard.
“This programme started in 2007. It is now ten years old. This thing could not be possible without a couple of people; those who are willing to learn and who wanted to take the next step, and secondly very importantly, people who are willing to give their time to teach,” he said.
Reflecting on the programme’s success, Mr. Ali said several employees who have passed through the programme have been able to enjoy upward mobility in the company, with some securing senior positions.
SPL CEO, Ramsay Ali, company, union and Ministry of Education officials pose with employees who completed the training programme.
“We will continue this programme. We will put money into the budget to ensure that our employees who did not get the opportunity for whatever reason; did not complete secondary education or their primary education – we will help them to get to a place where we will be proud of everybody,” the CEO promised.
Speaking on behalf of the Ministry of Education, Chief Education Officer, Marcel Hutson, who has been a strong supporter of the programme over the years said, “This may become like a mantra to me now because I am always commending Sterling Products for the initiative taken in terms of educating their staff members. It is so important that we empower our people because if you can’t read or write basically overtime you become irrelevant especially in a day and age where everything is now about the computer,” he said.
The Chief Education Officer urged the six employees who participated in the programme to use it as a “stepping stone” to greater things.
“I trust that persons who are graduating today; that this will just be a stepping stone for you to move onto greater things. You could become the Chairman of this company at some point in time, you never know,” he stated.
CCWU President, Sherwood Clarke, said the Union is pleased that a private company is investing heavily in its employees.
“First let me say how happy the Union is about a private company having established this training programme 10 years ago for its employees. That is the greatest investment anyone can institute into human beings, and a company as a whole,” he said.