Young persons participating in the Ministry of Education and Culture’s Apprenticeship Programme have been urged to give the programme their best effort.

Minister for Education and Culture, Honourable Myron V. Walwyn told the participants to show up to work with a positive attitude and mind, ready to put in an honest day’s work. He urged them to be prepared to bring their enthusiasm, creativity and sharp minds to add value to their new place of employment.

Honourable Walwyn said, “I will be personally checking up on all of you, and I do not expect to hear any bad reports from any of our employment partners. Young people, this is an opportunity of a lifetime, and I beg you not to waste it. We want the very best for you and our entire community will be looking on, cheering for you.”

Minister Walwyn said that Government and the private sector have not only invested resources for the apprentices to receive training, but finances have also been invested to give them a chance to gain experience on the job.

The Education Minister also announced that one hundred and five youths will be employed in the Apprenticeship Programme as additional funding was approved by the

Premier, Dr. the Honourable D. Orlando Smith, OBE, to employ an additional 20 young persons through the programme.

“We initially budgeted for 85 placements in the Apprenticeship Programme and with the Premier’s assistance we can now have 105 young persons in the programme,” Honourable Walwyn said.

Meanwhile, the Ministry also a launched it’s Youth VI Website, an online platform for young persons throughout the Territory to find employment and for the business community to interact with young persons.

Other speakers at the ceremony included: Premier and Minister of Finance Dr. the Honourable D. Orlando Smith, OBE, Deputy Premier and Minister for Natural Resources and Labour, Dr. the Honourable Kedrick Pickering, Assistant Secretary, Mrs. Brenda Lettsome-Tye, and Youth Employment Services Coordinator, Mr. Albert Wheatley.

The Ministry of Education and Culture’s Apprenticeship Programme is opened to unemployed young persons between ages 18 - 29 who have registered at the Youth Employment Services. To register, visit the Youth Employment Services office adjacent the old post office building or telephone the programme coordinator, Mr. Albert Wheatley at 494-0045 or 541- 1981.

For more information about the Ministry of Education and Culture’s Apprenticeship Programme, telephone Assistant Secretary in the Ministry of Education and Culture, Mrs. Brenda Lettsome-Tye at 468-2151 or email her at brlettsome-tye@gov.vg.