OVER 30 youths from five communities across Guyana graduated from the Basic Life and Employability Skills (BLES) programme on Wednesday, and are now better equipped to enter the world of work.

The graduation ceremony took place at the Roraima Duke Lodge and was made possible through the United States Agency International Development’s (USAIDs) Community, Family and Youth Resilience (CFYR) Programme.

The five-week course is open to persons up to age 29 and teaches individuals life skills and job readiness training. The graduates came from the communities of Corriverton, Lodge, East La Penitence, East Ruimveldt and sections of Sophia.

At the ceremony, keynote remarks came from USAID Regional/Eastern and Southern Caribbean (ESC) Representative, Clinton White. He told the gathering that the programme was first introduced in October 2016 in ESC countries to reduce levels of crime and violence amongst youths and to create a safer, more prosperous Caribbean.

With youth unemployment in the Caribbean hovering between 20-40 per cent and at 22.64 per cent in Guyana, White stated that the BLES programme is in the best position to bring about positive change.

“The Basic Life and Employability Skills programmes responds to this challenge by creating visible employment opportunity…the graduation marks the successful completion of five weeks of intensive training on life skills, employability skills and reproductive health. After completion, the graduates will be supported in finding jobs,” he said.

He thanked the public and private sector for its role in improving lives of the youths involved and encouraged the country to continue to place its focus on youths. “Guyana cannot thrive without a well-trained youths like the graduates. They are the engine of Guyana’s economy and now is the perfect time for them to take a more prominent role in shaping Guyana,” he said.

Meanwhile, Director of Special Projects at the Ministry of the Presidency, Ronald Austin Jr., said that education is the gateway out of poverty and every opportunity for a person to increase his or her knowledge should be capitalised upon.

He told the graduates that while they all seek out employability they must also develop an entrepreneurial mindset which can also prove to be beneficial. “You’ve got to come up with innovative ways for positive survival,” Austin advised, even as he encouraged the youths to be responsible, practice good time management, reach for excellence and act, at all times, with integrity.

Also, in remarks, Country Manager of the CFYR Programme, Courtney Brown, stated that the youth-focused programme helps the youths not only to engage with but to identify potential employers. He expressed confidence that much like previous cohorts, the young people exiting the current programme will also find employment in the world of work.

In a presentation to the audience, the youths expressed that BLES helped to boost their confidence; encouraged them to be hardworking and helped them to understand how to market themselves to a potential employer. Coming to the end of the ceremony, the graduates were presented with Certificates of Completion while special awards were presented to employer partners the Corum Group, Massy Stores Mega and Unicomer (Courts) Guyana.