17 Successfully Complete Job Training

September 28, 2012

Minister of Economy Trade and Industry, Patrice Minors yesterday [Sept 27] gave an update on the recently launched Level 5 Drywall Mechanic Certification programme.

The pilot programme was unveiled several weeks ago in partnership with the Construction Association of Bermuda and a group of Drywall Professionals.

The initiative saw 17 Bermudian men travel to the Construction Education Foundation of Georgia to study and train for their Level 5 Drywall Mechanic Certification.

And today Minister Minors hailed the programme as a success saying, “I am pleased to say that the 17 young men have recently returned home and can now call themselves fully Certified Drywall Mechanics.

“By all accounts this training initiative was a great success and the feedback from all parties concerned including the instructors, participants and local stakeholders has been excellent. So this is indeed an initiative deserving of public recognition.”

Six of the successful participants were at today’s press conference and all spoke of the benefits of the programme and becoming fully certified drywall mechanics.

And the Minister pointed out that 16 of the course participants are fully employed as a result of their certification.

Minister Minors concluded, “I recognise that Government has come under increasing criticism of late from some sectors of the community that have implied that we’re not doing enough to assist those find gainful employment. And quite simply that’s untrue.

“In fact this programme is just one example of Government providing solutions to our unemployment challenges by placing Bermudians in jobs.

“This training opportunity also serves to minimize the issuance of work permits particularly in respect to the two major construction projects namely, the Bermuda Hospitals Board and the former Waterloo House sites.

“And I believe it is important to publicly highlight the success of this job training programmes because not only does it represent a promise made, but it represents a promise delivered.

“Let there be no doubt, we are ensuring fairness and opportunities for Bermudians; we are solving people’s problems; we are standing up for Bermudians; and yes we are and will continue to make sure and steady progress in helping Bermudians to succeed.”

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Comments (23)

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  1. good ting says:

    this is a great Initiative am happy to see these young take advantage of this opportunity.

    • blep says:

      what a lie. i see two people that were already hired and were improving on their existing skills…”as a result of their certification” ha LIARS

  2. Like It Is says:

    I think this is a step in the right direction, well done to all those involved. Lets build a better Bermuda!

  3. Islander says:

    Congratulations to the successful graduates, especially Anthony Burchall – so very very proud of you – done Family, friends proud – YOU ARE A TRUE WARRIOR!

    • Zombie Apocalypse says:

      A ‘true warrior’? For learning how to dry wall?

  4. Petra says:

    Question for the Minister – is it true that most of these men were ALREADY employed before the training course i.e you haven’t created an employment opportunities?

    • Amazed says:

      I think you are right , however they were not employed in this specialty area and some were not fully employed. This training now means the hospital project won’t have to import drywallers later on and that is a good thing.

      • Petra says:

        @amazed, thanks for that. I just hope that if they are now vacating jobs to move up the ranks that we are creating some for the unemployed.

        Didn’t mean my post to appear over critical (on re-reading it was!), any initiative like this is good news if it retains or creates jobs!

      • Ships Ahoy says:

        Didnt realize that they would use drywall in hospitals because it easily molds when damp???? Not saying that they can or can’t or that there aren’t any specific areas wghere they would use it -just surprises me that they are at all.

    • Sick & Tired says:

      I think the fact that they are now certified in this occupation insures that they will stay that way.

  5. g-GURL says:

    Congrats fella’s !!!!
    Proud of you Anthony Burchall !

  6. why drywall!? teach these young man how 2 maintain bermuda cedar! Anybody can do drywall all u need 2 know is how to read a tape measure!

    • DC says:

      That may be true BUT doing it properly is the issue. That is no dimples to show where the screws are & so forth. If anyone could do it then bringing in guest workers to do the work would not have been necessary! Instead of being so negative, just congratulate the graduates. You may not be aware but it is a skill that one can use anywhere in the world!

    • Ships Ahoy says:

      I have two ceilings in my home that were drywalled and you can see the tape lines.

  7. It only hurts when I breathe................. says:

    While I absolutely applaud anyone that has sucessfully completed any form of training course I find this sooooo depressing on so many levels!
    Is this the best we can do? In fourteen years, is this the sum total of what the PLP has to shout about and then turn it into a huge photo op and get the PLP propaganda machine rollin?

    Great, we all need drywallers but we also need accountants, doctors, company C.E.O.’s, administrators, insurance executives, etc. etc. the list goes on.

    While this is a achievement, its a very small one in the scheme of things and not much to show after fourteen years!

    We should be aiming our sights higher in order to compete with the rest of the world but with this PLP govt. it is never gonna happen! Heck they can’t even get teachers here in time for the start of the school year. The PLP continues to put EDUCATION in the background when it should be the very cornerstone of Bermuda’s survival, both now and for future generations.

    • jmo says:

      Before 1998 there was so much talk of how the UBP took away the trade school , I thought that the first thing PLP was going to do when they got in power was to open up a new trade school!!!! PS. Bermuda college trade courses are not up to par.

  8. Sergio Pitcher says:

    Congratulations to the young men who put in the hard work to attain this qualification. I wish you well in your endeavors.

  9. Bullseye says:

    Congrats guys. Get to work and make it work! Well done.

  10. swing voter says:

    this couldn’t have been done 5 yrs ago? I hope these skills can be put to work after the new hospital is finished….with over 400K of vacant office space in Hamilton, I don’t know if the future is that bright.

  11. feddefatup says:

    Why do you ppl always have to be so negative at the first opportunity. WELL DONE GUYS!

  12. bornbermudian says:

    Not sure how much building is going be happening in the short term future! Time to build The Great (Dry) Wall of Bermuda… maybe we can get some tourists to come at the same time!

  13. Keepin' it Real...4Real! says:

    all this has done was to bring bermudian drywallers up to par with world standards…something that should be done before even being hired to do a job…bermudians have been so lackadaisical in life …because Bermuda WAS Another World….ask those that guys now what is the difference between USA workforce to our Bermudian workforce …i bet they only saw their cellphones 2 time a day …before work n after work plus how many hours perday did they work ….i jus hope their eyes were opened to reality.

  14. simpleman says:

    Way to go! It took most other guys 4 or 5 years on the job to get that far!