PWD training 33 new apprentices
(CNS): Thirty-three young Caymanians have enrolled as Level I trainees in the Apprenticeship Training Programme offered by the Public Works Department (PWD). The apprentices completed orientation and started their programmes earlier this month and will be learning carpentry, masonry, plumbing, electrical installation, air conditioning and refrigeration, welding as well as building and construction management.
This latest group joins the ten apprentices now in Level II and six Level III learners. Troy Whorms, the PWD acting director, said his team is mentoring the young people and providing a means for Caymanians to develop skills in a variety of technical and vocational areas important to the islands.
As the programme grows, he said, the department has already increased its space capacity with the opening of the Construction Trades Training Centre and there are plans to upgrade existing workshops to accommodate the delivery of more programmes.
“With the scarcity of locally qualified job applicants to perform some specialised roles within government and the private sector, it is important that we develop our Caymanian workforce,” said Jay Ebanks, the minister responsible for PWD. “This government is working to give Caymanians as many opportunities to succeed, as possible. I want to encourage all apprentices enrolled in the programmes at PWD to stay the course and continue to develop their skills and expertise.”
Parliamentary Secretary Isaac Rankine, who attended the orientation session for the new batch of trainees, said government was doing everything possible “to ensure that we promote sustainable and responsible development for the future… I am confident the apprentices will take their rightful place in the future of these Islands.”
Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry of Education Katherine Ebanks-Wilks, who was also at the event, said this programme would increase the apprentices’ employment opportunities.
People interested in the programmes can contact the Public Works Department at
345-949-2547 or email pwd.apprentice@gov.ky.
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Category: Education, Jobs, Local News
Ok. Still not half as accredited as Mr Myles training program tho.
Why does government have him blacklisted so?
Congrats to all involved – hope it’s a great success.
The programme was actually started under Minister Tara Rivers at the time. She worked very hard to see this come to fruition and Levi Allen was instrumental in actually getting it up and running. Great to see that it is still continuing and growing from strength to strength it seems.
I just can’t believe how bite-up and negative some caymanians can be. Astounding.
A great project supporting our youth and folks want to knock it. Seriously, the Civil Service and Govt just cannot win with a proportion of the miserable population.
Vocational training, so many decades in the talking, finally happening. Long overdue. Congrats to all involved with this, including and especially the students!
More government employment is how you turn a country into Venezuela or Cuba. How about you open the borders and have some actual productivity in our economy.
This is a great programme and we have graduates working in our firm and they’re a credit to the scheme and their families.
Commendable and a step in the right direction. Let’s return to this group in 5 years and see how many are gainfully employed. That is the TRUE acid test.
More will be in Northward than employed. Heard it here first.
33 new, 10 in level 2 and 6 in level 3. How many started last year and the year before? Will you report how many of the 33 make it to level 2, 3 and completion?
World Class. Hopefully the private sector will follow this amazing example.
Back away from the Kool-Aid…
And when you use a private company do you say you’d be happy to pay say 20% more so that they can take on a bunch more trainees? No you don’t. It’s a bit different when you’re simply given a budget by government. Instead of patting yourself on the back ask why this is something new and not standard practice for decades. Congrats to the new guys and good luck!
Aren’t you supposed to be at work at your civil service job, not surfing the internet and posting comments?
Too early to say, dey not hit a lick yet.
I’m sure they’ll be groomed on how to lean on shovels and watch grunts break their backs.
Once successful, please help them with gainful employment. And young people, do your best to get through the programmes and show the doubters that there are Caymanians equally as qualified, willing and able to work in these fields. Private employers, do your part to employ these young people and encourage your staff to work with and alongside their fellow employees who happen to be from these islands.
Let’s not forget it was Joey Hew who started this program
No it was a man named Levi Allen of blessed memory. He worked very hard to develop this programme. RIP Levi. You taught me a lot.
12.00 He couldn’t do it without Joey’s help
@ 7.41pm You are so right.
Well actually it was a project proposed by PWD ( Max Jones and Levi Allen) which was then supported by the Chief Officer Allen Jones and then supported at the political level by Kurt Tibbetts.
Nothing to do with Joey Hew.
Nothing to do with Alan Jones either.
Did they all get a new truck and a gasboy card when they signed up?
Loll maybe
7:20 I feel sorry for you. What a horrible world you must live in. Sad sad sad
Grass green over here bobo.
It is horrible. It is plagued by corruption and a lack of accountability. Gasboy was indicative of widespread theft and fraud. Little action. Few consequences.
7.20pm Did you?
7:20. Why are you living in the dark ages.
I pity you.
I pity you, fool.