Young trainee Aliya McLellon said joining the Youth Entrepreneurial Skills Training Programme offered by the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport is an opportunity to step outside traditional expectations and develop a skill she can use to build her future.
McLellon, who enrolled in the plumbing programme at the Georgetown Training Centre in Sophia, shared with the Department of Public Information (DPI) that her interest was inspired by the male members of her family who are involved in technical trades.
McLellon is among 125 young people who have enrolled in the sixth batch of the programme.
They are offered training in areas including carpentry, electrical installation, masonry, plumbing and welding.
She hopes to work alongside her family members while gaining more experience and improving her earning potential upon completion of the programme.
Similar aspirations were shared by other trainees who are now pursuing skills in areas traditionally viewed as male-dominated.
Alina Persaud, who undertook welding, said her interest in the trade developed while she was a technical student in secondary school.
“I have always wanted to learn this skill. I also have plans of becoming a petroleum engineer or civil engineer. I see this as something that can complement my future goals,” Persaud said.
She intends to continue developing her skills while pursuing further studies at the University of Guyana (UG).
Crystol Brown, who has an interest in carpentry, stated that it provides an opportunity to follow a passion influenced by her family.
“I want to learn more about woodwork and eventually build different things like furniture and houses,” Brown said.
Meanwhile, Akel Roberts, who is pursuing electrical installation, said she returned to training to continue developing a skill she also started learning during secondary school.
“Since early in school I was doing electrical, but I stopped. Now I am coming here to continue learning and gain more experience,” Roberts said.
Senior Training Officer of the Georgetown Training Centre, Samuel Saul, explained that the programme is designed to equip young people between the ages of 16 and 30 with practical skills that can lead to employment or entrepreneurship.
The training combines theoretical and practical components. It is accredited under the Caribbean Vocational Qualification (CVQ) Level One framework through the Council for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (CTVET).
Delivering the keynote address at the opening ceremony, Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport, Charles Ramson Jr, encouraged the trainees to view the programme as a foundation for growth.
He noted that it was deliberately designed to ensure young people leave with practical competencies that can meet the needs of the labour market.
“We don’t want you to leave here with just grades. We want you to leave here with the skills. That is what the market respects,” Minister Ramson said.
Additionally, Minister within the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport, Steven Jacobs, highlighted the importance of skills training as Guyana continues to experience national development and increased demand for skilled workers.
He said the programme provides young Guyanese with an opportunity to benefit from the country’s growth by acquiring skills in areas such as construction, electrical work, welding and plumbing.
“Never allow your circumstances to define your future. Let your dreams, your discipline and your determination define who you become,” Minister Jacobs told the trainees.
The programme will run for approximately four months.
DPI
