International Training & Scholarship Awards

Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Kim Wilson delivered a Ministerial Statement in the Senate this morning [June 29], providing an update on international training programmes and scholarship awards.

The Minister mentioned a number of students receiving further education abroad including; Amaury Symonds and Noreco Burgess who left Bermuda earlier this month to start a twelve-week ITEC programme, in Bangalore, India.

Also India bound are two other young Bermudian students, Charles Butterfield and Jayson Jackson, who were awarded Whistling Woods International Scholarships for film studies for a period of up to two-years.

Denzel Todd and Sherrick Darrell have successfully enrolled in the five-month Maritime Cadet Programme at Holland College in Prince Edward Island, and Vernon Harrison who also has been supported by the National Training Board has successfully completed his course work and is currently engaged in his sea time training.

Minister Wilson’s full statement follows below:

Madam President, I am pleased today to share the outcome of various training and scholarship initiatives relative to the work of the Department of Labour and Training and the National Training Board.

Each case celebrates the first step towards career development in the lives several young Bermudian men and reaffirms this Government’s commitment to providing meaningful training and educational opportunities for young Bermudians.

Madam President, Mr. Amaury Symonds and Mr. Noreco Burgess left Bermuda earlier this month to engage in a twelve-week Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) programme, which is essentially a Certificate Course in Networking. The course commenced on 20th June at UTL Technologies in Bangalore, India.

Mr. Symonds, is a graduated of the Berkeley Institute and has been in the Information Technology profession since 2005. He gained valuable work experience with the Bermuda Government in the Information Technology Office, where he worked as an intern.

Meanwhile, Mr. Burgess graduated from the New England Institute of Technology (NEIT) and has been in the IT field since 2000. Whilst attending NEIT he was partly supported by the National Training Board. He has a volume of experience and currently owns and operates Burtech Electronic Solutions, a small business.

Madam President, the ITEC programme is fully funded by the Indian government.

The programme was launched in 1964 as a bilateral programme of assistance of the Government of India. It is the flagship programme of the Indian Government’s technical cooperation effort. Being essentially bilateral in nature, ITEC is about cooperation and partnership for mutual benefit.

Under ITEC and its corollary SCAAP (Special Commonwealth Assistance for Africa Programme), 158 countries in Asia & the Pacific, Africa, Latin America & the Caribbean and East & Central Europe are invited to share in the Indian development experience, acquired since its Independence.

Madam President, also, India bound are two other young Bermudian students, Mr. Charles Butterfield and Mr. Jayson Jackson. These two young men were awarded Whistling Woods International Scholarships for film studies for a period of up to two-years.

The pair will travel to Mumbai, India, in July to commence their respective two-year programmes.

Mr. Butterfield, who graduated from the Cedarbridge Academy, hopes to pursue a career in film production, while Mr. Jackson graduated from the Berkeley Institute, was a Rotary International Exchange Student in Argentina in 2010-2011, and aspires to be an actor.

Madam President, you will recall that whilst in India on a mission to strengthen business and cultural relationships between the India and Bermuda governments, the former Premier Dr. Ewart F. Brown visited the Whistling Woods International Limited.

In February 2010, a Memorandum of Understanding was established with the school detailing the Bermuda Government’s interest in developing a relationship with India and with India’s creative arts industry institute. The intent was that the Bermuda Government would gain exposure that would attract Indian tourists, film production, and film festivals to Bermuda.

This strategic alliance with India and the Whistling Woods International Limited also provides the opportunity for Bermudian students interested in pursuing a career in Film, Television and Animation to study under the same terms as Indian students.

Under the MOU, the Bermuda Government provides scholarships for at least two students each year to study film making at Whistling Woods International Limited.

Whistling Woods in return provides the following incentives for the Bermuda Government scholarship students:

• First 6 months of housing in a shared studio apartment;
• A complimentary Apple Macbook Pro Laptop worth $2000; and
• A $500 library deposit waiver.

The Government is delighted to finally bring this MOU to fruition with two young Bermudian males now enrolled in the programme.

Madam President, other successful National Training Board international programme placements include Mr. Denzel Todd and Mr. Sherrick Darrell who have successfully enrolled in the five-month Maritime Cadet Programme at Holland College in Prince Edward Island. Classes commence in July and the cadets will qualify in either Bridge Watch Rating or Engine Rating after completing their studies and the requisite three-months of sea time.

Meanwhile, Mr. Vernon Harrison who also has been supported by the National Training Board has successfully completed his course work and is currently engaged in his sea time training in order to complete his course work.

Madam President, I am pleased to be able to highlight the successful placement of these young Bermudians in a wide array of training programmes designed to develop their skills and prepare them for careers, not just in Bermuda but, in the global marketplace.

Thank you, Madam President.

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