A group of 65 eager young persons hailing from communities across Tobago embarked on the journey of a lifetime in the discovery of their true potential. The Department of Youth Development launched the first cycle of a landmark initiative entitled Trade Trek on Tuesday August 13, 2024, at the Scarborough Library Facility as part of the mandate to empower Tobago’s young people holistically. Trade Trek will expose participants ages 16-25 years to three days of interactive training and two subsequent months of apprenticeship to gain hands-on experience in a diverse range of technical vocational areas. Some of these areas include: hairdressing, construction, auto mechanics, electrical, domestic refrigeration and more. Unlike other programmes under the Division’s newly-coined, “ProYouth” umbrella, Trade Trek specifically caters to school leavers, out of school youth and those who are unemployed. This makes it a unique addition to the expansive list of social interventions headed by the Department of Youth Development.
Speaking briefly at the programme’s orientation, Administrator of the Division of Community Development, Youth Development and Sport; Afeisha Melville McKain admonished participants to keep an open mind, and grasp opportunities as they present themselves. She explained, “Take advantage of this opportunity to learn as much as possible. The orientation exercise you are about to embark on is not just to get you ready to learn the trade, but also to learn some life skills because the goal is, once you have the training, this will help you to be better able to monetize it going forward. We are here to help you. We are here to empower you and we’re also going to help you further your skills with some apprenticeship placements.”
In a similar vein, Assistant Secretary Wane Clarke thanked those present for stepping up to the plate and encouraged them to give the programme their best effort. He noted, “Thank you for agreeing to take on this challenge on the road to creating a better life for yourself, and by extension, a better Tobago. Give it your best and go forward confidently.”
Division’s Secretary; Assemblyman Joel Sampson chose to highlight his personal experience with the technical vocational skills sector and how it has positively impacted his life. “Holistic education is very important to me, because not everyone is well-suited to academics; learning a trade is something that can sustain you for a lifetime. Before I got into politics, programmes such as these are what lead to a career that helped me feed my family. This is your opportunity to start a new chapter in your life.”
By all accounts, the youths present were excited for the road ahead with several indicating their passions for industries such as hairdressing, air conditioning repair and others as their reason for joining the programme. Last week, the young persons underwent three days of life skills training from August 13-15 on topics such as: goal setting, financial management, introduction to tools and equipment management, time management and more. Immediately following this, the trainees were placed under the watchful eyes of experienced practitioners for two months, as they hone core practical competencies necessary for success in their chosen fields. They will also receive a stipend.
Upon successful completion of this programme, trainees will be part of a graduation ceremony where they will share their experiences and newfound abilities, in addition to receiving certificates. After the cycle has concluded, participants can expect to be introduced to other options to further their development, either via continuing training or through employment opportunities.