FORTY Guyanese have completed technical and vocational training in auto electrical, cosmetology and electrical installation, with the Board of Industrial Training (BIT) urging the new graduates to combine technical competence with discipline, sound judgement and professionalism as they enter the workforce.

The graduates, 23 males and 17 females, received their certificates during a graduation ceremony at the Regency Hotel in Georgetown on Friday, following training programmes collectively valued at approximately $4.34 million.

Fifteen graduates completed auto electrical, 10 completed cosmetology and another 15 completed electrical installation.

Chief Executive Officer and Secretary of the Board of Industrial Training, Richard Maughn, told the graduates that their certificates represented more than the completion of a course, but also competence, opportunity and responsibility.

He urged them to view graduation as the beginning of a new stage in their development rather than the end of their training journey.

“Your graduation forms part of a much larger national training effort being undertaken by the Board of Industrial Training,” Maughn said.

According to BIT figures, as of September 9, the board had reached 3,310 beneficiaries through 162 training projects across all 10 administrative regions.

That figure represents 138 per cent of BIT’s annual target of 2,400 beneficiaries. Of those reached, 1,308 had graduated, 419 had completed training and were awaiting graduation, while 1,583 remained in training.

Maughn said the figures form part of a broader technical training effort that has reached 19,681 beneficiaries through 1,061 courses between 2020 and September 2026.

He, however, stressed that the value of the programmes ultimately depends on how beneficiaries apply the skills and opportunities provided.

“Figures become meaningful only when people take the opportunities they have received and convert them into productive outcomes,” he said.

Maughn encouraged the graduates to pursue employment, establish businesses, undertake further technical training or use their skills to serve their communities.

He also urged them to maintain high professional standards, practise their trades safely and continue developing their skills in response to changing workplace demands.

According to Maughn, technical competence must increasingly be complemented by good communication, discipline, sound judgement and the ability to adapt.

Drawing on the theme of his workforce reflection, “Respond, Don’t React”, Maughn urged the graduates to manage pressure constructively as they enter or advance in the workplace.

He said graduates would encounter deadlines, workplace pressure and colleagues from different backgrounds and generations, and could face situations involving misunderstandings or disagreements.

“Your technical skill may get you through the door, but how you manage yourself under pressure will help determine how far you go,” he said.

Maughn advised the graduates to seek clarity before assuming someone’s intentions and to allow sound judgement to guide their words and actions.

He said uncontrolled reactions could damage trust, relationships and professional credibility, while measured responses could help preserve respect and resolve workplace challenges.

He also reminded the graduates that professionalism extends beyond their ability to perform a technical task.

“Competence is more than knowing how to perform a task. It is also knowing how to conduct yourself when the task becomes difficult, when the pressure rises, and when the people around you do not necessarily see things the way you do,” he said.

Maughn thanked the instructors, training providers, technical officers and family members who supported the graduates throughout their programmes.

He urged the 40 graduates to use their newly acquired skills not only to earn an income, but also to create value, solve problems, serve others and contribute to Guyana’s development.

“Go forward with confidence, but also with humility. Use your skills not merely to earn an income, but to create value, solve problems, serve others and contribute meaningfully to the continued development of Guyana,” he said.

He concluded by encouraging the graduates to continue learning and growing as they transition into employment and entrepreneurship.

“Respond, don’t react,” Maughn told them, reinforcing the message that professional conduct and personal discipline are as important to workplace success as technical skills.