173 Saint Lucians Graduate from Jennès Cohort Three and Business Incubator Cohort Two Programmes
By Embassy of the Republic of China (Taiwan) in Saint Lucia
The graduation ceremony for the third cohort of participants from the Jennès Vocational Training Skills for Youth and Women’s Entrepreneurship and Financial Inclusion Programme was held on Tuesday, March 14, 2023, at the Gros Islet Human Resource Development Centre.
One hundred and twenty-eight (126) students graduated from Cohort Three of the vocational training skills programme in the following areas: Hospitality (14), Health Aide (38), Digital and Creative Entrepreneurship (32), and Early Childhood Development (42). Meanwhile, at the same ceremony, 40 participants also graduated from Cohort Two of the Business Incubator for Start-up Enterprises for completing the course, while 7 others received certificates of participation.
Some of these participants will be attending a six-week Jennès Business Coaching Webinar Cohort Two commencing in this month. Topics include Sales and Marketing Strategy, Operations Management, Financial Literacy and Accounting, Human Resource Management, Business Strategy, Soft Skills and Customer Service, Contracts and Business Negotiations, Globalization and Export, Personal Branding and Image, and Pitching Your Business.
Top achievers at the graduation ceremony were:
- Nataki Florentville — Digital and Creative Entrepreneurship
- Tanya Daniel — Heath Aide (South)
- Alana Medouze — Health Aide (North)
- Tyler Joseph — Hospitality
- Hannah Jn. Baptiste — Early Childhood Development Aide
His Excellency Peter Chia-yen Chen, Taiwan’s Ambassador to Saint Lucia, congratulated the graduates for showing the courage to complete an important journey in their lives.
“Each one of you is here today through your own sustained hard work,” Ambassador Chen said. “This is a milestone we are delighted to recognize and honour…Your graduation, as hard-won as it surely was, is, however, a beginning rather than an end. For many of you, it’s also a marker in what will be a lifelong pursuit of learning, of broadening your knowledge and of expanding your life experiences.”
Ambassador Chen added: “The Government of Taiwan will continue to partner with the Government of Saint Lucia to empower the youth and women to seek out new opportunities and take on your way to the next steps in your lives.”
In her keynote address, Ms. Esther Rigobert, Permanent Secretary in the Office of the Prime Minister, said the programme afforded the participants the opportunity to demonstrate their innate abilities to rise above challenges.
“Regardless of your background, you have achieved something worth celebrating,” Rigobert told the graduates. “You have arrived at a very pivotal place in your career and personal development, and on your way to self-actualization to be your best you.”
Mr. Cletus Springer, Chairman of the Board of Governors at SALCC, urged the graduates to make the fullest use of the training they have received in the programme.
“Work hard to succeed because when you succeed Saint Lucia succeeds,” he said. “Do not consider this as the end of your journey, your personal development. There are now endless resources all over the Internet and YouTube to help you to add value to what you’ve learned in this programme. Consider, too, enrolling in a programme at the SALCC.”
Sponsored by the Government of the Republic of China (Taiwan) and administered by SALCC, the Jennès Vocational Training Skills for Youth and Women’s Entrepreneurship and Financial Inclusion Programme began in January 2022. More than 500 Saint Lucians have graduated from the programme, of which 80% were women.
Guest speaker, Royston Emmanuel, who was part of the team that formulated the Jennès Vocational Training Skills for Youth and Women’s Entrepreneurship and Financial Inclusion Programme, said more than 70% of participants completed their programmes. He urged the graduates to continue their journey in learning. “Learning is empowerment,” Emmanuel said. “Though in life everything is constantly changing, the one thing you can never truly lose is your education. Ultimately, learning never stops, it is lifelong. There is no limit to the amount of knowledge and skills you can obtain.”
