357 persons certified by the Board of Industrial Training: Guyanese Labour Ministry

Guyana: According to the Labour Ministry of Guyana, 357 persons were certified by the Board of Industrial Training in Region Six.

Human resource development was the main focus at the graduation ceremonies held on March 15 (Tuesday), and March 16 (Wednesday), at the Sensation Banquet Hall, Upper Corentyne, and Outback Adventure, Gagaram Settlement, East Canje, respectively.

On day one, 122 persons received their certificates in nine occupational areas facilitated through the bit and carried out several locations through Upper Corentyne, such as Roxan’s Beauty Salon, RK Computer Institute, Roadside Baptiste Church, and the Upper-Class Industrial Training Centre.

Day two presented certificates to 235 persons residing in Lower Corentyne who would have completed skills training in eight occupational areas, held at more than fifteen (15) business entities within the district.

Both days of the ceremonies were attended by Joseph Hamilton, Minister of Labour, Chief Executive Officer/ Secretary of the Board of Industrial Training, Richard Maughn, Chairman of BIT, David Armogan, Mayor of Corriverton, Winston Roberts, Senior Technical Officer with responsibility for Region Six, Bevon Sheperd, Senior Superintendent, Deputy Commander, Region Five, Guy Nurse and Superintendent, Deputy Commander, Region Six, among other officials from the Labour Ministry.

Members of the Guyana Joint Services and persons aged from 15 to 63 years old became beneficiaries of the bit program, aimed to boost human resources to positively contribute to national development.

Encouraging remarks were made by the Chairman and Senior Technical Officer of BIT, and the Senior Members of the Guyana Police Force to the graduates, reminding them of the sacrifices made to deliver the programs offered by the Government of Guyana. Hence, they should continue with the same energy and commitment to using the skills they were taught to do well in their respective communities.

A message of acknowledgment to the graduates was done by Maughn who highlighted the works done by the staff of the bit, under the leadership of the Region Six, Regional Chairman, David Armogan, who is also the Chairman of BIT.

“We are able to work and implement the Government of Guyana’s policy when it comes to Vocational Education and Training and making sure that people have equal access to skills development. I have seen the power of skills training, changing lives after working within the education system for many years,” he mentioned.

Further, the CEO stressed, that when the power of skills is rightly used to change the lives of individuals, those who were down the wrong road, heading in the direction of a life of crime but thanks to receiving skills training their paths were changed, and is now making positive contributions to our wonderful Country.

“As we speak about building Guyana as one people, we need to use the skillsets that we have to make a difference. All of you have been trained in your varying craft and while I see the power of skills to change that, I also see how individuals with good skills have failed to use the skills they have acquired to contribute positively to themselves, their families, and society at large.

The Board of Industrial Training has used the monies given from the Government of Guyana to make sure that there were skills transferred but it is up to you to use the skill sets you acquired to make a positive contribution to Guyana, yourselves, and your immediate families,” the CEO stated.

Minister Hamilton delivered the featured address and thanked agencies that supported the ministry’s mandate, then trainers who have given their commitment over the months, and the graduates who saw it fit to register and participate in the programs, fashioned for upliftment.

“I travelled through the length and breadth of Guyana to attend graduations because for me it is significant, it matters not whether it is a hundred and seventy persons, seventy, seventeen, or seven, for me all of those persons are important and the relevance of that is for you to appreciate and recognize that for me you, the graduate’s matter and are important in the whole scheme of things that will happen in this country,” the minister noted.

He further elaborated that if the graduates fail to uplift themselves, they will have no else to blame but themselves. He added that many persons, who are limited in their understanding of human development, might question the need for the training that is being done by the agency and why train persons, without the requisite jobs been available.

“The motto of life is to be prepared, not when the opportunity presents itself, then to provide training. The Government that I represent, we in 2019/2020, all of us, President, Vice President, Prime Minister and all minister and others, traveled through the length and breadth of this country and we made specific commitments to the citizens of this country, we did not promise, we made commitments,” he explained.

So far, for the year 2021/ 2022, approximately 246 persons from Regions One and Four, received their certificates after completing several programs. In the upcoming week, graduation ceremonies will be held in Moruca and Anna Regina, Region 1 and 2, respectively, and Lethem, Region Nine.