It is indeed a pleasure for me to celebrate this occasion with you. Graduations are always special and this one is of special significance to you graduates because it is your graduation.

Tonight puts the seal on the fourteen weeks of commitment, dedication and hard work that you would have completed. Tonight you walk across the stage to be presented with evidence that you are ready and equipped to take your place as a productive member of our country’s labour force and I believe that you will embrace every employment opportunity that comes your way.

I must congratulate the National Training Agency on the outstanding work that it has done and continues to do. Even though it has been less than two years since the Agency was launched on 15th July, 2013, the impact that it has made on the skills development and workforce readiness of young Bahamian adults has been profound.

I am advised that about 140 of you make up this graduating cohort and that you have been trained in the areas of hospitality, which includes Food and Beverage service, Food preparation, Housekeeping, Auto service and care, Retail knowledge, Microsoft word processing and Allied Health/Patient care assistant.

I am also advised that a fourth cohort of approximately 240 young persons like yourselves are currently in skills training in areas that you have done, as well as other

areas including, Customer Service, Basic Accounting/Quickbooks,Butler Services and Maritime Navigation For Seafarers.

It is remarkable that during the fiscal year 2014-2015 the Agency would have trained some 760 individuals in New Providence, Grand Bahama and Exuma. You are indeed a part of a very privileged and special group who has been afforded the opportunity to change the way work is done in The Bahamas. You have been held to extremely high standards and you have demonstrated that you know how

to produce excellence. You have earned your certification, both international and local and you are equipped to make a difference in the workforce.

There is much hope that most if not all of you will be meaningfully employed in the very near future. I’m advised that the National Training Agency has pre-screened 56 of you and have sent 49 of you on job interviews. So far 21 of you (43%) were offered full time employment another 16 of you found employment on your own. It is my hope that by July of this year all of you will have secured full time employment.

I must throw out this challenge to all of the male graduates. Your female counterparts have outnumbered you and the statistics show that they are outperforming you at a ratio of almost two to one. What are you going to do about that? Give it some focused thought.

Graduates, the Ministry of Labour and National Insurance is proud of all of you; the National Training Agency is proud of you; Your Industry Training Providers and Internship Providers are proud of you; Your expert Instructors are proud of you, The Prime Minster, Perry Gladstone Christie who had the wisdom and compassion to make all of this possible is proud of you; your family and friends are proud of you but most of all you have every reason to be proud of yourselves.

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 forward 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. However, it is up to you to continue to stir up the gifts that God has placed in you. Work with your gifts so that they work for you.

As I conclude I am reminded of words of Shakespeare from the play Hamlet and I quote, “We know what we are, but know not what we may be”. End quote. Graduates, you have your whole world before you. Take your candle and go light your world.

God bless all of you.