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A group of 20 young men are about to benefit from a 16-week General Maintenance course as The Bahamas Technical and Vocational Institute\u00a0 (BTVI) spreads its wings to the Berry Islands.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.bahamasb2b.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/01\/btvi.jpg\" "\\"btvi\\"")
The ninth through 12th graders of R. N. Gomez All Age School, along with one adult, will be exposed to the fundamentals of carpentry, plumbing, tiling and electrical installation. The course will be conducted each Friday evening and Saturday, spanning a 10-hour period per weekend.<\/p>\n
Principal, Brian Williams recognized a dearth of technical subjects at the school and thought it important to work in conjunction with BTVI.\u00a0 \u201cWe\u2019re trying to do so much here, but manpower is limited.\u00a0 The youth are excited and we\u2019re excited to enter this partnership with BTVI,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
BTVI previously conducted the same course in Harbour Island, Cat Island, Andros and Exuma.\u00a0\u00a0 Some distance learning is involved as a few parts of the theory will be delivered by BTVI instructors via Skype.<\/p>\n
Vice-Principal, Christine Saunders, revealed that the school has been attempting to introduce such a program for over a decade.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019ve seen so many young men fall through the cracks. They left school and just hung around, so this is a dream come true,\u201d she exclaimed.<\/p>\n
One of the students, Robert Gibson, is thrilled about the course to begin on January 24th.\u00a0 \u201cI want to be a police, but I\u2019m interested in electrical work.\u00a0 My daddy and I are always doing electrical stuff. We fix lights, install air conditions and ceiling fans,\u201d he stated.<\/p>\n
His peer, Marcus Knowles, said he likes construction and was introduced to it by his father who is a contractor.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019ve been on jobs with him and can install doors, do crown molding, masonry and put up plywood,\u201d said the Head Boy.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn life, it may come a time for me to be able to tile myself or if I have to fix a door, I can do it without paying someone $100.\u00a0 I want to be self-sufficient,\u201d said the 16-year-old.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, BTVI\u2019s Dean of Construction Trades, Alexander Darville, recently conducted a workshop for facilitators, all of whom are residents of the Berry Islands and were selected based on their expertise in their respective fields.\u00a0 Terran Winder will teach carpentry, Godfrey Francis, electrical installation; Denise Carey, tiling and Ivan Bridgewater, plumbing.<\/p>\n
During that workshop on the island, facilitators were introduced to the online library, EBSCO Host, BTVI\u2019s portal for the input of grades and attendance, and the website for the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).<\/p>\n
Mr. Darville expressed the need for technical education.\u00a0 \u201cHaving grown up in Briland, I understand.\u00a0 Also, it helps to keep some of the men on the island.\u00a0 Multiple disciplines are in the course and on the island, you have to be a multi-tasker.\u201d<\/p>\n
Additionally, funding the course is The Berry Island Association.\u00a0 President, William Kalis said it\u2019s one way of contributing to the community.<\/p>\n
\u201cInstead of sending one student for an annual course, we decided to do a shorter course, having a number of them exposed to what\u2019s possible and to see if they have an affinity for carpentry or plumbing or electrical,\u201d said Mr. Kalis who has lived on the island for 15 years.<\/p>\n
\u201cI saw students coming out of school who were good with their hands, but it was trial and error.\u00a0 They could benefit from such schooling.\u00a0 These kids, we need to get them jobs.\u00a0 If they all go to Nassau, the community dies. The answer is through education. That\u2019s the only way,\u201d he noted.<\/p>\n
Captions:
\nWORKSHOP \u2013 BTVI\u2019s Dean of Construction Trades, Alexander Darville, recently conducted a workshop for facilitators of a General Maintenance course mainly for youth of the Berry Islands.\u00a0\u00a0 Seen here are Ivan Bridgewater, plumbing and Denise Carey, tiling.\u00a0 Other facilitators are Godfrey Francis, electrical installation and Terran Winder, carpentry .<\/p>\n
PARTNERSHIP \u2013 BTVI will be facilitating a General Maintenance course for young men in the Berry Islands, which includes carpentry, tiling, plumbing and electrical installation.\u00a0 Shown here are: BTVI\u2019s Dean of Construction Trades, Alexander Darville; R. N. Gomez All Age School\u2019s principal, Brian Williams and President of The Berry Islands Association, William Kalis. The association is funding the 16-week course.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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