Sixty-five residents from Region Nine have successfully completed training in welding and fabrication, heavy-duty equipment operation, commercial food preparation, small engine repairs, and electrical installation, thanks to the efforts of the Board of Industrial Training (BIT).
This group of graduates joins 20 others from the region who completed their training a week earlier. Of the latest batch, 45 participants hail from Lethem, while the remaining 20 are from Shulinab. The graduates expressed their readiness to enter the workforce, contribute to their communities, and earn an income.
Nineteen-year-old Stacy Williams, now a certified welder and fabricator, shared her positive experience, stating that she gained valuable skills during the programme while also earning an income. Another graduate, Loticia David, said that although she had no prior knowledge of welding and fabrication when she began, her interest and dedication helped her acquire the skills needed to potentially start her own business.
Corretta Salvador, who completed the heavy-duty equipment operator training program, highlighted her excitement about pursuing a career in this field, inspired by other women who have excelled in similar roles.
Minister of Labour, Joseph Hamilton, commended the high participation of women in the training programs, noting that more than half of the trainees in Region Nine were women. He reported that BIT has trained 716 individuals in Region Nine to date, including 236 males and 480 females.
On a national scale, 12,472 people have graduated from BIT programs, with women representing 61% of the total.
The graduation ceremony, held at Lethem’s Business Incubation Centre, was also attended by notable guests, including BIT’s CEO Richard Maughn, Chairman of Region Nine Bryan Allicock, Toshao of Shulinab Nicholas Fredericks, CEO of Food for the Poor Andrea Benjamin, and Maria-Alexandra Bassermann, Regional Labour Mobility and Social Inclusion Coordinator for the International Organisation of Migration (IOM).
