After six weeks of training, 25 young men graduated today from an Electrical Installation and Life Skills Training Programme, which is an initiative of Youth Challenge Guyana with support from ExxonMobil Guyana.
The men – ages 16 to 30 – have been equipped with practical, market driven electrical installation skills, complemented by essential life skills to strengthen their employability, personal development and readiness for the world of work.
The technical component of the programme provided participants with practical exposure to various areas, including electrical safety and workplace practices, electrical tools and equipment, wiring and cable installation, and residential electrical systems.
At the graduation ceremony, Executive Director of Youth Challenge Guyana, Dmitri Nicholson, said a critical part of the programme saw the participants benefiting from life skills development which was aimed at strengthening their confidence, communication abilities, and workplace readiness.
“Many people keep asking Youth Challenge Guyana why young men. Why not women involved in the training as well but the training is designed for young men because in our communities now there is a shortage of male role models. In addition to that, we believe that and the data suggests that young men are one of the most vulnerable people in our communities. Most of the violence that we see in the country is perpetrated by men towards our women and many perpetrators of the violence are men. And so, our intervention not only looks at targeting young men to become electricians but it also targets young men to become role models in their communities,” Nicholson said.
He said the programme will also help them to successfully transition into employment and other productive opportunities.
Nicholson said the programme takes place at a time when there is need for more electricians in the country.
Meanwhile, ExxonMobil Community Relations Supervisor, Ryan Hoppie said the oil giant was more than happy to support the initiative.
“It is important to invest in the lives of our people, especially at a time when Guyana is full of opportunities, and full of possibilities. And the opportunity that we see are growing all around us but they become more significant when people are prepared to take those opportunities and this is what makes this programme so incredible and so important. Its initiative like these that really sets you on a course for the rest of your life,” Hoppie said.
Speaking directly to the participants, Hoppie urged the young men to use the training programme as a stepping stone to develop themselves in the elector sector.
You must be logged in to post a comment Login