The Zonta Club of New Providence and the Bahamas Technical and Vocational Institute (BTVI) joined forces once again, June 22, to host the second Zonta Club of New Providence Workforce Readiness Training Programme.

The three-work programme will provide instruction in a wide range of topics and is “designed to assist participants in finding and maintaining employment.”

“What is especially admirable about this progamme is that in addition to providing instruction in a wide range of topics, each participant is attached to a mentor,” Minister of Social Services and Community Development, the Hon. Melanie Sharon Griffin said.

“These individuals (mentors) I am sure, will provide the necessary encouragement to participants to help them tie in all that they have learnt and utilize the information towards finding and maintaining employment and in due course, a successful career. This could very well be a life-changing programme for many of the participants,” Mrs. Griffin added.

Mrs. Griffin implored the participants to “take the programme very seriously.”

“This programme, as with any other educational experience, is dependent upon your active participation; you will get out of it, what you put into it. Let me remind you that there are more than 5,000 high school graduates each year in The Bahamas (and) that means that there is a lot of competition for jobs, hence you need to be equipped with the right skills and attitudes to secure and maintain employment.

“At the completion of this course, you will be able to show up on the job and have your employers and fellow employees look forward to your arrival because you make the work environment better.”

Successful participants will receive a Certificate of Completion from the Bahamas technical and Vocational Institute. Scholarships will be provided to the two Most Outstanding students to pursue further studies at BTVI.

“This is a wonderful opportunity as one of the scholarship recipients from the first programme completed a Certificate Programme while the second one is scheduled to graduate with an Associate’s Degree later this week and is expected to pursue a Bachelor’s Degree at the College of The Bahamas,” Mrs. Griffin said.

“Let me add that even though the scholarships are the ultimate achievement, the information provided to all of you will surely enrich all of your lives which will never be the same. It depends upon you,” Mrs. Griffin added.