A New Beginning for Youth at Project Dawn’s Second Orientation
On January 6th, 2024, over 200 students were welcomed to the Assembly Hall of Samuel Jackman Institute of Technology (SJPI) for Project Dawn’s second orientation. The Block Transformation Unit, Project Dawn, in collaboration with SJPI, provides a space for unattached young men and women, to receive certified training through the many courses offered by SJPI. In addition to increasing youth participation in Barbados, it also promotes youth empowerment, which is the goal of such Ministry of Youth, Sports, and Community Empowerment programmes.
Mr. Ian Drakes, Principal of the Samuel Jackman Prescod Institute of Technology, expressed his delight at the overwhelming presence of this second group. He encouraged the trainees to “pick the brains” of his instructors in order to gain the knowledge needed to become successful entrepreneurs beyond the borders of Barbados. Mr. Drakes said he was looking forward to seeing them on the Fortune 500 listing, stating, “I have no envy; if you are going out there making a salary ten times as much as me, it means I have empowered you”. He then advised them to enter SJPI with peace, a willingness to learn and the desire to collaborate with one another. Principal Drakes concluded with the importance of focusing on the reward that can never be taken away: knowledge.
The Honourable Charles Griffith, Minister of Youth, Sports, and Community Empowerment, thanked Marcus Stephen, Shane Haynes and Hasani Newton for traversing Barbados in hopes of recruiting young people into the programmes at SJPI. Minister Griffith encouraged participants to seize this opportunity, not only because of the institute’s lengthy waiting list, but also to fully embrace their journey. “Project Dawn is not called Project Dawn by accident; Dawn reflects a new beginning, a new start,” he said, adding that students should embrace this as a new beginning for them over the next three to four months. He further emphasized that Project Dawn students will receive the same certificate as those entering with CXCs, as soon as they complete the programme. This assures young people that they will be certified by SJPI when they enter the job market or pursue self-employment.
The Youth Minister concluded by reminding the students that the future was in their hands, and he hoped to see them transition from employee to employer. He declared, “This is about you; this is about self-love.”