Fifty-seven single parents and 151 youths from Regions One, Two and Three graduated last Wednesday from the National Training Project for Youth Empowerment (NTPYE) at the Essequibo Technical Institute (ETI), Region Two, the Government Information Agency (GINA) reported.
The NTPYE targets single parents and youths in the 10 administrative regions for training in areas such as mechanic, administrative and pharmacy assistants and welding and fabrication.
According to GINA, co-ordinator of the project Coreen Connelly in her project report noted that Moruca had 89% completion, with 24 persons graduating; Pomeroon River had 100% completion, with 11 persons graduating; Charity to Supenaam had 98% completion with 92 graduating and Leguan and Wakenaam had 98% completion with 9 and 15 persons graduating respectively.
She noted that the activity sought to empower young men and women and single parents and 20 of the graduates had already gained employment in the engineering field.
BIT’s Chairman Dr. Dale Bisnauth urged the graduates to utilize their skills in order to contribute to the country’s growing economy and encouraged them to work diligently to make themselves indispensable in their respective field of work.
And Principal of the ETI Michael Turner encouraged the graduates to further their education and to utilize the opportunities that are provided to them.
Region Two Chairman Ali Baksh who delivered the feature address said that the country has lots of natural resources and persons can transform their lives to ensure security in the family, community, region and ultimately the country.
Baksh noted that more focus will be placed on finding employment for the students after they would have graduated.
He expressed hope that government will assist the region in providing a dormitory at the institute so that persons from various regions will have accommodation, while being empowered.
Member of Parliament Farouk Khan who delivered the charge noted that it is of paramount importance that every person acquire a skill to contribute to the positive development of the country and urged the graduates to “think big.”
Khan also encouraged them to practice reading on a regular basis as it would open their world to understanding.
Recently 175 and 53 trainees graduated from the NTPYE/BIT in Regions 5 and 7 respectively, GINA added.
