71 interns graduate from YES programme

“Nurturing minds, developing entrepreneurial leaders.”

This was the theme of the closing ceremony for the Youth Energised for Success (YES) programme summer (sic) internship 2019.

The feature speaker at the event at the Victor E Bruce Financial Complex in Scarborough, Pastor Lovell Ottley, noted that the theme is pregnant with the need to support and encourage these developing young minds so that they can be the leaders of tomorrow who will build life-transforming empires, take the risk towards being a resounding success and be confident forging ahead in business and commerce. He said this experience was an ongoing process requiring all hands on deck to bring it to fruition.

“We all know the age-old saying that experience is the greatest teacher. Thus there is a permanent place for those who have experienced various levels of work to pass on what they have learnt to the younger generation. This is also referred to as succession planning, or, as a friend of mine once said, working yourself out of a job by empowering those in your charge,” he said.

Ottley advised: “You may see yourself as a working student today, but before you can take note of the time, you will be the one facilitating future summer internship programmes in your organisation.

"Seek to be the best that you can be so that you can pass on the best that you can mentor in the future.

"However, remember that your area of study is just a drop in the ocean of knowledge available to man. Thus remember to humble yourself and accept the fact that there would always be someone that knows more than you.”

The eight-week-long programme was aimed at ensuring the growth, development and capacity-building of Tobago’s human resource for its future.

During the programme, interns benefited from activities such as workshops, field trips, debates, presentations and real-life work experience in both the private and public sectors.

They all received certificates of participation for completion of the programme which is an initiative of the Tobago House of Assembly (THA) Division of Finance and the Economy.

Director of the YES programme June Melville said there were improvements in the internship this year, even as the unit continues with the vision, which is to prepare young Tobagonians to lead in the development and diversification of the island's economy.

“It is noteworthy that for this year'ssummer internship programme. 18 per cent of the interns who are currently seeking employment...have secured employment, and we aim to assist the others in their employment thrust,” Melville said.

She noted that since the programme’s inception in 2012, it has seen a steady increase of applications, and this year marked the biggest intake, 71.

Administrator in the division Wendy Hernandez-Guy told the 71 they are at a stage in their lives when they would be exposed to new things, excited about living, excited about where they are presently and if not hindered by the negative exposure. There is nothing they can't do, she said. .

“I want you to believe that you can do the impossible... you are at that space where you believe you can do and when you believe in yourself, it allows you to achieve. To achieve what others, believe is impossible for you. I ask you to continue believing in yourselves, the tools that you would have been exposed to. I heard that it was a bit heavy, but we’ll work on that.

"But I hope that you were able to take away something from it that you can use. Use these tools as stepping-stones and go out and achieve.

"Don’t let anybody tell you that you cannot do it, you can do it. All of us have seeds of greatness within us, you are our future in this twin island state, go out, achieve, grow. Don’t let anybody tell you to stop growing and you would achieve.”

Secretary of the division Joel Jack described the 2019 instalment as an overwhelming success, adding that it is no secret that the intake process for the programme is a bit rigorous, as some would have been subjected to an application as well as an interview designed to simulate the job-screening process.

He said last year there were 57 interns, and additional resources were allocated to this year’s programme to accommodate 71. But there had been over 200 applicants, he said.

“While some people claim that the training was rigorous – and I am glad that it was real-life: the work environment is competitive, it is demanding, and it calls upon you to give more. So you’re not going into the work environment in a sort of laissez-faire manner, and if we, as we intended to do...prepare you not just to be Tobago employees but to be global citizens, your training programme must be in a corresponding manner, must be filled with the necessary rigour and scholarly activity to prepare you for the future.”