Minister Fahy On Butcher Training Programme

July 25, 2013

Yesterday [July 24] in the Senate, Home Affairs Minister Michael Fahy spoke about the butcher training programme , saying that the successful candidates — Vaughan Archibald; Maki Pitt; Tommeka Talbot and Damiko Trott — all received their certification.

Earlier this year the Ministry announced four Bermudians would be sent to the UK to achieve an internationally recognized butcher certification.

Minister Fahy said that local industry partners have been “extremely supportive” and all of the trainees have been placed. Mr. Vaughan Archibald at The Supermart, Mr. Maki Pitt at Lindos, Ms. Tomeeka Talbot at Miles Market, and Mr. Damiko Trott at Market Place

“The Government continues to be committed to improving the livelihood of our people by providing accredited and internationally recognized training opportunities for those that are serious and interested in empowering themselves to develop new skills. We believe this to be an essential component of our national training plan,” said the Minister.

Minister Fahy’s full statement follows below:

Madam President, I’m pleased to provide an update on the Butcher Training programme. Earlier this year we reported that four Bermudians would be sent to the UK to participate in an overseas accelerated accredited training opportunity at M.E.A.T. Ipswich, U.K. to achieve an internationally recognized butcher certification.

M.E.A.T Ipswich is a butchery school that has been delivering high quality training in the fresh food and meat industry for more than 25 years.

Madam President, you will recall that this initiative was launched following a review of the 2012 Bermuda Job Market Employment Briefs that listed the Butcher category as an Occupation showing shortages of Bermudians. As part of an effort to reduce the number of non-Bermudian workers in this occupation, while at the same time ensuring employment for Bermudians, the Department of Workforce Development collaborated with industry to identify a suitable overseas training programme. M.E.A.T. agreed to alter their curriculum to accommodate Bermuda’s training needs.

Madam President, in order to be selected to participate in this program, interested persons were required to attend two or more interviews with an industry panel, commit to drug testing and assessment testing and attend a local orientation workshop to develop employability skills.

Successful candidates included: Vaughan Archibald; Maki Pitt; Tommeka Talbot and Damiko Trott.

Madam President, these young people attended M.E.A.T. for three months of intensive training. The programme covered both theory and practical elements with a view that all individuals would attain a Level 2 Certificate for Proficiency in Meat and Poultry or Food and Drink Industry Skills – an internationally recognized certification.

The trainees have all recently returned from their learning experience in the UK, and I am pleased to announce that they all received their Certification.

The Bermuda Government would like to take this opportunity to thank M.E.A.T Ipswich and the staff for partnering with the Department of Workforce Development to ensure the success of this programme.

Additionally, I take this opportunity to congratulate all four successful aspiring Butcher professionals on a job well done.

Madam President, you will recall that phase II of this programme requires these certified individuals to enter the workforce as Trainees to gain practical experience.

I am therefore pleased to share with Honourable Colleagues this morning that our local industry partners have been extremely supportive – all of the Trainees have been placed.

  • Mr. Vaughan Archibald – The Supermart Limited
  • Mr. Maki Pitt – Lindos Market Ltd.
  • Ms. Tomeeka Talbot – Miles Market
  • Mr. Damiko Trott – The Market Place

This Government remains committed to developing local talent and partnering with industry to ensure that our people are employed.

The Government continues to be committed to improving the livelihood of our people by providing accredited and internationally recognized training opportunities for those that are serious and interested in empowering themselves to develop new skills. We believe this to be an essential component of our national training plan.

Thank you Madam President.

-

Read More About

Category: All, News, Politics

Comments (17)

Trackback URL | Comments RSS Feed

  1. Portia says:

    Phase two requires the newly certified individuals to enter the workforce as trainees to gain practical experience.”

    What I am interested to know is, are these jobs full-time, permanent positions, or are they only temporary for a few weeks or months to give the students some practical experience?

    Practical experience is always a good thing, and most vocational programs do require you to do a work term at the end of your classes. But it seems to me that when Marketplace, Lindo’s etc advertise for butchers, they are usually looking for someone with say, 3-5 years experience, not a recent grad. If these students are only being taken on for a short while, will they have to go abroad to seek work in order to return to Bermuda to compete with the more experienced foreign butchers who already hold those jobs? That is what the Minister needs to clarify.

    While I applaud the students for completing the program, and the Government for making it possible, what I object to is any grandstanding by the Minister that this is contributing to the 2000 promised jobs, unless that is really the case.

    • Tommy Chong says:

      Agreed! This is a slight nick in the surface of Bermuda’s unemployment & a far cry from being victorious.

      I will also ad in relation to the years required part of your comment that most employers gain permits for workers who have less experience than what is required on their posted ad. This just goes to show that many times years of experience translate to Bermudians need not apply.

  2. Mike Hind says:

    any evidence that it’s NOT the case, other than speculation?

  3. Mazumbo says:

    That’s good, 2000+ and counting

  4. Umm.... says:

    Only 1,996 more jobs to go. Well done OBA!

  5. Ben Dover says:

    Four jobs created? That doesn’t even offset the 7 LOST this week at E&Y and Endurance. I think that makes 2003 more to go.

    • Tommy Chong says:

      This needs to be explained to commenter Umm… who seems to think it does. It amazes me how many people support politics like sports teams & route for them even when they underperform.

  6. Ben Dover says:

    … and I would bet that E&Y and Endurance pay better than Lindo’s pays a butcher. I guess the OBA never specified what kind of jobs these 2000 would be.

    • Double Standards says:

      Still pays better, and requires alot more expertise and experience, than sitting on a pier trying to sell trinkets and sodas to cruise passengers as Mr. Marc Bean ecnouraged Bermudians to do the other day.

      • Ben Dover says:

        I love to buy trinkets, and nothing beats a cold soda on a hot day.

        • Double Standards says:

          I love to buy fresh cut meat for my barbecue during a hot summer day…

      • Tommy Chong says:

        Being an assistant manager at the market place church street probably pays better than butcher & trinket seller. It also seems to be a less labour intensive jobs since from my observation all you have to do is stand behind the costumer service counter with a blank look on your face & when a costumer comes to ask a question step back & let anyone else behind the counter answer it besides you. The other criteria for this job seems to be walking around the store aimlessly.

    • Tommy Chong says:

      They won’t because then they will have to admit there’s a huge immigration violations going on that they are not willing to change. Anyone who thinks that the majority of 2000 unemployed are able to fill IB positions needs to come back down to earth. We need IB but we don’t need loads of IB positions in IB to get 2000 back to work we need an array of jobs for which already but are taken by permit holders.

      This morning I saw a cleaning company truck with four foreign workers in the front. When this truck passed me I saw someone jammed in the back between all the cleaning equipment. The person jammed in the back was a young Bermudian worker looking out of place & distraught. This made me sick to my stomach & made me realize Bermudians are become second class citizens in their own country & the current government I helped to get elected hasn’t lifted a finger to change this.

      • Toodle-oo says:

        And just how did you know that the worker you saw in the back was Bermudian ? Did you see his passport or are you basing that on the same stupid assumptions that other people around here make about what ‘real Bermudians’ are supposed to look like ?

        And furthermore , if you couldn’t recognize the sarcasm or ‘facetiousness’ ‘umm’s’ post above I’d recommend that you stop posting anything more. You’re not as smart as you think.

        • Tommy Chong says:

          Because I am a “Real Bermudian” born & raised & spending more of my years here than elsewhere & can recognize the grandson of someone in my community. I’m not in texas toodles I’m in Bermuda. BIG DIFFERENCE! ;)

          Furthermore! If you like to troll Umm that’s your little obsession not mine. I just made a comment about their comment & didn’t feel the emotion in their words like you did. Frankly, I would have thought if it was sarcasm it would have been typed with an extra exclamation point. Then again you know umm better I just thought it was another naive party supporter since both sides have em.

        • windwater says:

          You could tell a Bermudian especially if you know them. The island is small meat head. Maybe you are the idiot.

          As far as ‘umms’ comment, it’s more like the OBA need to create 2,200 jobs to break even if you include the layoffs in the last 7 months.

          • Toodle-oo says:

            Even if you live to be 180 I doubt if you’ll still know as many ‘Bermudians’ and their lineage/family as I do. I would never say on these blogs ,as Tommy did , that someone in a truck , or anywhere , was a Bermudian without clarifying it by stating that I knew the person I saw as a Bermudian. Tommy NEVER originally said that that he knew the person. Get it ?
            The amount of idiocy written on these blogs by people who can’t make a clear point or be word specific so as to avoid confusion is becoming a chronic problem . It’s now bordering on the nonsense we hear on the call in radio shows. Actually , now that I think of it , it’s worse !

            And Tommy , please be careful who you call a troll. If you’re confusing me for one you’re really not very internet/blog savvy.