Financial Services Minister Hope Strachan, second right, encouraged the students to move to the next goal. Also pictured are Elizabeth Keju, chairman of the NTA Board of Directors, right; and Agatha Marcelle, executive director of NTA, fourth right. (BIS Photo/Raymond A. Bethel, Sr.)
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NASSAU, The Bahamas – After 14 weeks of training, 140
students have been equipped to join the country’s workforce. They graduated
from the third cohort of the National Training Agency (NTA), Thursday, April 23rd
during a ceremony at Holy Trinity Activities Centre, Stapledon Gardens.
The Government officially launched the competency-based
training and job placement agency that prepares young adults for successful
entry into the workforce in July of 2013. NTA has trained some 760 students in
New Providence, Grand Bahama and Exuma within the near two-year period.
Graduates received certificates and pins for completing
studies in Hospitality (food and beverage, food preparation and housekeeping),
Retail Knowledge and Introduction to Microsoft Word Processing, Auto Service
and Care and Allied Health Care/Patient Care Assistant.
“Star” awards were presented to graduates for outstanding
performance. The recipients are: Tanya Scavella, Allied Health Care; Nicoya
Johnson, Retail Knowledge; Anastacia Bethel, Hospitality (food and
beverage);Lashan Lightbourne, Food Preparation; Shavonne Clarke,
Housekeeping and Don Taylor, Auto Service and Care. Nicoya Johnson also
received the Executive Director’s Award for leadership acumen.
Among those participating in the event were Elizabeth Keju,
chairman of NTA Board of Directors; Herbert Brown, managing director, Public
Hospitals Authority. Entertainment was provided by The Royal Bahamas Police
Force Pop Band, New Providence staff of the NTA, and Kendria Mackey, NTA
graduate.
Graduating Students. (BIS Photo/Raymond A. Bethel, Sr.)
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Mr. Brown said PHA was pleased to partner with NTA to allow
young Bahamians the opportunity to explore the world of health care. He told
the students that they have the power to achieve and their goals are limited
only by their imagination.
In her keynote address, the Hon. Hope Strachan, Minister of
Financial Services encouraged the graduates to move to the next goal. Outlining
achievements in her life, the Minister advised the graduates that life is
always evolving and they have the ability to improve their lives as long as
they set goals and work towards achieving them with honesty and integrity.
She said, “You have begun the journey to professional
excellence with this step. As you build your career and improve your quality of
life, you will have to take many more steps. Go boldly, knowing that the
National Training Agency has stirred something good in you, something that
makes you aware of the talent and potential that God has placed in each of
you.”
The Minister challenged the male graduates to “step up their
game” as their female counterparts have outnumbered them and statistics show
they are also outperforming them.
Graduating Students. (BIS Photo/Raymond A. Bethel, Sr.)
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“Men are extremely important to the development of our
country,” she said. “Our country cannot survive without productive, God-fearing
men. We are losing too many men for irrational and stupid reasons.”
She congratulated NTA for its outstanding work and described
the impact it has made on the skills development and workforce readiness of
young Bahamian adults as “profound”.
Approximately 240 students
are currently enrolled in NTA’s fourth cohort and are being trained in Customer
Service, Basic Accounting/Quickbooks, Butler Services, Maritime Navigation for
Seafarers among others.
