CAYHILL:— Twenty local youth have recently started a comprehensive carpentry course, which will allow them to obtain an international certification from MIC Institution of Technology. The course materialized through K1 Britannia Foundation’s Second Chance Program in partnership with the National Institute for Professional Advancement (NIPA).
Holland America Line has once again committed to sponsoring educational training opportunities for St. Maarten’s youth and is the course’s founding sponsor. Other major sponsors include the Dutch Disaster Fund that contributed to K1’s Scholarship Fund and Menzies Aviation that is contributing towards materials, safety equipment and other needed resources for the students.
The course is specially held for vulnerable young people of St. Maarten between the ages of 16 and 25, and the aim is to provide the youth with new skills in the area of carpentry. The certification will enable the youth to gain short and long term employment while giving St. Maarten’s construction industry confident, skilled workers.
The response to the course came in an overwhelming wave. “Large sums of people reached out wanting to apply for the opportunity. This made us consider getting funding for a second construction course – electrical and mechanical – because of the high demand. Persons were selected based on their experience and strongest personal statements. The program is tailored for the vulnerable youth who were determined to make a change”, said Second Chance Program Manager, Malaika Richards.
The training will run over the course of 6-months, weekdays from Monday to Thursday. The students will learn technical skills such as how to draw and interpret simple drawings, blueprint reading, laying out a building on a job site, construct framework, as well as non-technical skills such as applied math, science, entrepreneurship and life skills such as conflict resolution. Upon successful completion of the course, the program will provide the opportunity for certification that can translate to employability or entrepreneurship possibilities for the students. Sergio Blomont, Director of NIPA stated, “The carpentry course at NIPA is of key importance for the youth in our communities. It teaches them to be able to work together as a team and that they are not alone to deal with their difficulties. It also teaches them “life skills” which is so important for them to be able to deal with any obstacles being thrown at them in life.”
Participants, both young men and women, have been enthusiastic and eager to join the course, some wanting to pursue carpentry as a career, while others want to put their interests and hobbies into practice. Stacy Elias who joined the course elaborated saying, “This construction course will allow me to sharpen basic skills and gain more knowledge of construction, which I am currently pursuing a career in. My aim is to appropriately learn the vast majority of information that will be beneficial and crucial in succeeding in this field.”
K1’s Second Chance program has always been about giving young people the foundation for positive growth through volunteer opportunities, apprenticeship programs, courses, job training, employment opportunities and social development. Co-Founder of K1 Britannia Foundation, Priya Thirumur stated, “Irma impacted the job market quite heavily, and after much thought and discussions, we observed that the maritime and construction industry were willing to hire people with relevant skills. Thanks to NIPA’s partnership with Trinidad’s MIC Institution of Technology’s for its short courses, these student’s certification can be recognized locally and internationally. “
Reflecting on his hopes for the participants, Program Manager Alan Schet stated, “K1 Britannia has been cultivating relationships with all of these students and will provide them with support throughout the duration of the course. Our hopes for these participants is that they follow through and complete this training, pursue further qualifications so that they can make themselves available for opportunities within the related field.”
The K1 Britannia Foundation would like to thank Holland America Line, The Dutch Disaster Fund, Menzies Aviation, NIPA and MIC for making this vision a reality. For more information about K1 Britannia Foundation and it’s Second Chance Program, visit their website www.k1britanniafoundation.org, their Facebook www.facebook.com/k1sxm, send an email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
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Source: St. Martin News Network http://www.smn-news.com/st-maarten-st-martin-news/31154-holland-america-line-sponsors-k1-s-carpentry-course-for-youth.html
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