Bahamas News

BAHAMAS: National Training Agency Graduates a Strong Cohort

Published

5 years ago

November 3, 2018

#Nassau, November 3, 2018 – Bahamas – After completing fourteen weeks of training in Hospitality Services, Office Procedures and Information Technology, 79 students received their certificates during a graduation ceremony at the National Training Agency (NTA), Thursday, November 1, 2018.

The training, which included 10 weeks of technical skill training and mandatory work force preparation, has equipped the young people for the country’s workforce.

Gadville McDonald, Executive Director, NTA, said from all indications and according to results, Cohort 9 this was the “best” cohort in the history of the agency. Mr. McDonald commended the students for their success in the new Information Technology (IT) skills training, for the 100 percent passes in the Office Procedure external City and Guilds exam, some obtaining credit and special credit, and for their achievements in the hospitality discipline.

“This cohort has been a part of many firsts. You’ve been able to participate in the launch of our digital certificate block search using block chain technology, which is a first for The Bahamas and this region. This is a big deal. No longer will you have to walk around with your physical certificates but you can actually carry them around in your smart phones.

“You’ve benefited from our intentional strategy of reducing the train the trainer ratio resulting in smaller classes with greater attention being placed on learning outcomes specific to your success in the workforce,” said Mr. McDonald.

He remarked that the NTA is a leader in competency based training in The Bahamas and is fulfilling its mandate of creating a training and job placement system that is dynamic and responsive to the demands of The Bahamas workforce and employment.

“We are considered a go-to agency for employers who are seeking qualified, entry level employees. The staff can tell you that our phones ring off the hook every day looking for qualified Bahamians who can serve at entry level efficiently in various departments,” he said.

In the keynote address, the Hon. Elsworth Johnson, Minister of State for Legal Affairs, who represented the Hon. Dion Foulkes, Minister of Labour, said the Bahamas Government is committed to creating a highly productive, competitive and competent workforce.

He told the graduates that the government continues to invest in them because it understands the need for ongoing competency-based training.

“We believe that every Bahamian should have the best chance to participate in our economy, regardless of academic or financial status.”

He encouraged them to be the greatest model of what is good about the Bahamas’ workforce: courteous, hardworking and disciplined.

“Employers today constantly complain about the entrants to the workforce. Please make the NTA proud, make me proud – be positive at all times, show up for work every day, no matter how you feel, go the extra mile and most importantly never stop learning.

“The National Training Agency continues to be a trailblazer in soft skills training and the overall development of our young people. In its short life span, the agency has trained 5,000 young Bahamians. For this year alone, some 600 young persons have been trained, inclusive of the seventy-nine graduating tonight.

“In addition, the agency is currently training more than 260 youth under the Citizens Security and Justice Programme, a key government initiative geared towards increasing employability and employment among at-risk youth between the ages of 15-29. The first part of this training is scheduled to conclude within the next two weeks,” he said.

Thirty-nine percent of the graduates have already received full-time employment and the NTA is making efforts to ensure that the remainder of the graduates are successfully employed. They will be placed in the Ministry of Labour’s Public Employment Services database to ensure their successful placement in the workplace.

The students received certificates, pins and special awards in the various disciplines including food and beverage service, food preparation, housekeeping, butler services, office procedures and IT.

By Kathryn Campbell

Released: BIS

Photo Captions:

Header: The Hon. Elsworth Johnson, Minister of State for Legal Affairs (right) presents a special award to Dwayne Williamson for his achievements in Information Technology as Gadville McDonald, Executive Director, looks on.

1st insert: Jaleal Wright-Bowles, Information Technology student, gives a reflection.

2nd insert: The Hon. Elsworth Johnson, Minister of State for Legal Affairs, speaks at the graduation ceremony of Cohort 9, National Training Agency.

3rd insert: Trenelle Robinson shows off her trophy for her success in butler services. The trophy was presented to her by the Hon. Elsworth Johnson, Minister of State for Legal Affairs (right) and Gadville McDonald, Executive Director.

4th insert: The Hon. Elsworth Johnson, Minister of State for Legal Affairs, is pictured 2^nd from right along with other officials at the graduation ceremony of Cohort 9, National Training Agency. Also shown is Gadville McDonald, Executive Director, National Training Agency (1^st from right), Cecilia Strachan and Donella Bodie, Permanent Secretaries.

BIS Photos/Raymond A. Bethel, Sr.

Bahamas News

Royal Caribbean Club in The Bahamas started after delays

Published

1 hour ago

April 25, 2024

Shanieka

Rashaed Esson

Staff Writer

#TheBahamas#RoyalCaribbean, April 23, 2024- After being delayed following its announcement in 2020, Royal Caribbean’s new 17 acre Royal Beach Club on Paradise Island in Nassau, Bahamas, is now in the works and is scheduled to be ready for 2025, according to reports. A groundbreaking ceremony was held on Monday April 22, signifying the start of construction in the next few months. This project is huge for The Bahamas as it’s a first of kind for the nation, with a unique public private partnership allowing Bahamians to hold up to 49 percent in equity.

Bahamas News

Nassau Cruise Port Donates Nearly $2 Million Towards Food Security

Published

3 days ago

April 22, 2024

Shanieka

Nassau, Bahamas: The Nassau Cruise Port has donated $1.95 million towards
projects that will assist the Ministry of Agriculture and Marine Resources in its aim
to increase food security for The Bahamas.

The donation officially occurred at the Ministry’s offices recently, where Minister
of Agriculture and Marine Resources Hon. Jomo Campbell, Minister of Labour
Hon. Pia Glover-Rolle, Permanent Secretary Neil Campbell and Nassau Cruise
Port CEO Mike Maura listened to a number of presentations including one for a
poultry programme for schools, a chicken broiler production programme, the
redevelopment of the Blue Hill Road Farmers Market and an Authentic
Bahamian Cultural Concept Store,

Mr. Maura said he was impressed by the presentations.

“I had the privilege to listen the presentations and review presentations that
touched on food security and the need for us to be self-sufficient, which as a
Bahamian I support completely. At the Nassau Cruise Port, we get excited
about the prospects of offering more authentic food to the millions of visitors
that we have each year,” he said.

“And then, in addition to that, we had presentations around the further
development of our artisans, which is so important to us as well. The guests
visiting our shores are looking for something that really touches The Bahamas
and can’t be found somewhere else. The Nassau Cruise Port has made a pledge to BAIC and its affiliates. We will be supporting the projects that were presented and we can’t wait to get started.”

Minister Glover-Rolle, who is also the Member of Parliament for Golden Gates,
hailed Nassau Cruise Port as a “great community partner.”

“Thank you for the opportunity to not only present but agreeing to participate.
Our Minister of Agriculture has a goal of reducing food imports by 25 percent by
the year 2025 and our project in the Golden Gates Community speaks to that,”
she said.

“We have a number of backyard farmers, farmers and fishers in our community
in Golden Gates. Being able to use the Blue Hill Road Farmers Market, which is
going to be dubbed the ‘Fish Fry of the South,’ as a hub for food security but
also a hub where artisans and handicraft persons can come and sell their wares
is wonderful. So, we are happy that you have agreed to partner with us and we
look forward to a partnership and we hope to welcome some of your visitors
when this amazing renovation is done.”

Minister Campbell also lauded the Nassau Cruise Port for its efforts.

“I would like to say thank you to the presenters for the presentations that are
several steps in the right direction for our country, to Mr. Maura and his board at
the Nassau Cruise Port and I would like to say thanks to God for this partnership
and bringing us all together as we move forward, upward, together in building a
better, brighter, future for The Bahamas,” he said.

Bahamas News

Career Symposium 2024 Connects University Students with Successful Professionals

Published

1 week ago

April 16, 2024

Deandrea Hamilton

Nassau, THE BAHAMAS — Some of the most successful and accomplished professionals and business leaders in the country recently shared their experiences and nuggets of wisdom with students at University of The Bahamas (UB) about thriving in a wide range of careers.

The University Centre for Counselling and Career Services and the Career and Job Placement Advisory Unit collaborated to host the 2024 Career Symposium which brought students face to face with leaders in the careers to which they aspire.

Vice President of Academic Affairs, Dr. Maria Oriakhi, said the symposium was key to developing potential as university students strive to leave their mark on the world.

Ms. Rickell Curry

“In the spirit of collaboration and growth, let us engage in meaningful dialogue, cultivate relationships, and harness the power of collective wisdom to shape our futures,” said Dr. Oriakhi. “Together, let us embark on this journey of exploration and discovery, united in our commitment to realizing our fullest potential and making meaningful contributions to our communities and beyond.”

Promoting careers in psychology, Ms. Curry noted that psychologists are equipped with the ability to help others, troubleshoot areas of weakness within themselves, and become better people and professionals in the process.

“The floor is yours to be able to explore. There’s no job where you don’t have to deal with people, so learning, even if you get a bachelor’s in psychology, is a great grounding,” she said.

Dr. Darville, one of few interventional radiologists in The Bahamas, offered another nugget of advice on choosing an area of study.

Dr. Elizabeth Darville

“It is important to know enough about yourself in order to make the decisions you want to make,” said Dr. Darville. “You have to work on yourself first and know what you want to do. Radiology gives you a chance to have fun. It gives you a chance to mold your career closer to your personal life than other medical specialties might.”

Another growing field is project management which Mr. Hepburn called a life skill. He also urged a commitment to lifelong learning.

“Individuals that continue to learn become unstoppable, period,” said Mr. Hepburn. “It is so true. When you learn, you become unstoppable because nothing can stop you in your process of development.

Mr. Wellington Hepburn

“The more you know, the more valuable you are. We need individuals who are cross functional—that can operate in different capacities. So please understand that your learning should never stop.”

With small and medium-sized businesses helping to drive the economy at an incredible rate, Ms. Rolle affirmed the importance of entrepreneurship in any economy.

“When we talk about entrepreneurship, we usually look at it from a myopic standpoint,” she said. Ms. Rolle. “What do I mean by that? Small, but usually about self: ‘how do I make more money?’ And in some cases, some look at entrepreneurship as a way of survival. ‘I need to make a couple extra dollars, I have this bill to pay’. Those types of things.

Ms. Samantha Rolle

“But entrepreneurship really, in its truest form, is about innovation, whether it’s a new concept or any existing concept that you innovate new ways, or help expand the economy.”

The career symposium was held at the Harry C. Moore Library and Information Centre and is held every academic year.

PHOTO CAPTIONS

Career Symposium 1: UB Vice President of Academic Affairs, Dr. Maria Oriakhi, delivers the opening address at the 2024 Career Symposium.
Career Symposium 2: Students and guest speakers enjoy a lighthearted moment during the 2024 Career Symposium.
Career Symposium 3: Ms. Rickell Curry speaks to students during the 2024 Career Symposium.
Career Symposium 4: Dr. Elizabeth Darville delivers remarks during the 2024 Career Symposium.
Career Symposium 5: Mr. Wellington Hepburn educates students on the importance of project management during the 2024 Career Symposium.
Career Symposium 6: Ms. Samantha Rolle talks about the role and importance of entrepreneurs and entrepreneurship in any economy.