Youth in Natural Resources Apprenticeship graduate
DPI, GUYANA, Monday, August 28, 2017
The twelve apprentices who participated in the three-week ‘Youth in Natural Resources’ apprenticeship programme graduated at Cara Lodge, Georgetown, on Monday.
The programme, which was facilitated by the Ministry of Natural Resources sought to reverse the negativity connected to the extractive sector, while at the same time stimulating interest among young people in the work of the Ministry of Natural Resources.
The Youths in Natural Resources pose with the sponsors of the apprenticeship programme and Minister of Natural Resources Raphael Trotman.
Joshua Ferdinand, one of the gradates noted that the experience was life changing. “As youths who are joining the world of work and furthering their studies we did gain a lot of experience in this three weeks programme and it allowed us to appreciate and experience what the entire natural resources (sector)does,” he said.
The programme also unified the apprentices during their tours to various companies in the natural resources sector, participant, Ziona McPherson noted. “The long travel trips allowed us to bond even more with each other. We were singing and dancing on the bus,” she recalled.
Fatima Karim, another participant in the training programme recalled how they “traversed Regions One to Ten unaware of how and when we came to a better understanding of this land we grew up in.”
The apprentices were given first hand tours to observe sites in the extractive industry of Bosai Mining Company, which produces bauxite ore and Aurora Gold Mines which mines gold.
They also participated in several activities including tree planting exercise and pork knockers’ day festivities among others. Minister Raphael Trotman wished the participants well in their future endeavors and noted his ministry will remain engaged with them.
“Next year we’d like to bring you back so that you could be now the first pioneers of the beginning of something that I think is going to be great,” Minister Trotman said.
The programme was sponsored by Macorp, Farfan and Mendes, ExxonMobil, Aurora Gold Mines and Bosai corporations.
By: Tiffny Rhodius