– Minister Ramson urges youths to seize opportunities in booming economy

MINISTER of Culture, Youth and Sport Charles Ramson Jr. on Monday officially launched the sixth edition of the Youth Entrepreneurial Skills Training (YEST) Programme, urging participants to embrace second chances, reject self-imposed limitations and equip themselves with the technical skills needed to capitalise on Guyana’s rapidly expanding economy.
The programme, which opened at the Georgetown Training Centre, is designed to prepare young people for employment and entrepreneurship through competency-based technical training in trades that are in high demand across the country.
Delivering the keynote address, Minister Ramson said the initiative is about far more than obtaining certificates, stressing that the ultimate goal is to equip participants with practical, lifelong skills that will improve their quality of life.
“We don’t just want you to leave here with grades; we want you to leave here with the skills, because that is what the labour market respects,” he told the new cohort.
The Minister noted that certification is only the starting point, explaining that skills development continues throughout one’s career and serves as the foundation for personal and professional advancement.

The opening ceremony was attended by senior officials of the Ministry, a move Ramson said reflected the government’s serious commitment to the programme. He also commended Director of Youth and Member of Parliament Suresh Singh for his leadership and dedication in ensuring the initiative’s continued success.
Ramson highlighted significant reforms made to the YEST programme over the past four years, explaining that what was once a nine-month course has been transformed into an intensive four-month, competency-based curriculum aligned with the standards of the Council for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (CTVET).
Addressing concerns raised about the shortened duration, the Minister pointed to his own academic experience, noting that he completed a law programme intended to take three to four years in just two years without compromising the quality of his education.
According to him, the programme has been strategically redesigned to meet the needs of Guyana’s evolving labour market, with specialised training being offered in welding, electrical installation, plumbing, carpentry and masonry.
He said these disciplines were selected because of the country’s unprecedented construction boom and the sustained demand for skilled workers.
Drawing on his training in the oil and gas sector, Ramson said he had anticipated the labour shortages now facing Guyana and noted that the large number of foreign workers currently employed in technical fields demonstrates the significant opportunities available to qualified Guyanese.
“The more time you spend in institutions does not benefit you if you are not using it to gain specialised skills,” he said, adding that practical industry experience often provides greater value than extended classroom instruction.
The Minister projected that, based on the country’s current economic trajectory under the leadership of President Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali and the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) administration, demand for skilled workers in the construction and technical sectors is expected to remain strong for at least the next 15 years.
Highlighting the earning potential available, Ramson shared the story of a young female boxer who completed an apprenticeship through the ministry and later secured employment as a welder, earning approximately $500,000 per month.
Responding to criticism of the programme, Ramson acknowledged that no initiative is without challenges but maintained that its success should be measured by the lives it changes.
He recalled his own experience at bar school in Nottingham, where nearly one-quarter of his class did not complete the programme, saying that setbacks are common in education but should never discourage those determined to succeed.
“We can identify problems and be critical of outcomes in any situation because there is no perfect programme,” he said. “But what must be perfect is your intention and belief in the ability to change lives. Even if it’s just one life being changed, it is still doing more than the critics.”
In closing, Ramson encouraged participants to use the programme as an opportunity to leave past failures behind and chart a new path for themselves.
“I too have been ridiculed in the past… But I’ve learned their negativity does not determine my future, and the limitation of their horizon doesn’t limit my horizon. Have a greater vision for yourself that is far greater than anyone else’s vision for you. Be limitless,” he said.