Last week, Jonaika Romney and Kazembe Hickinson received their certificates after a one month training in Qualified Crew, Basic Keelboat and Boatmaster 2 by St. Maarten Sailing school Director Garth Steyn.
Both participants are very pleased with their recent achievement. Jonaika is very grateful to the program, as she stated "I would first like to thank God, Minister Cornelius De Weever and the government of St. Maarten along with Pastor Allen, 12 Meter Yacht Club and my cousin Zorain."
"I am very pleased to see our young people apply themselves, and make use of the opportunity that has been given to them via this program," said Minister of Public Health Social Development & Labor, Cornelius De Weever.
The "Employability through Training" is a Social Economic Initiative (SEI) project, which is aimed at taking people from welfare to work and giving them the opportunity of on the job training. The goal of the project is to assist unskilled unemployed individuals to acquire basic job skills and knowledge to help bridge the distance between them and suitable employment within the local labor market by offering specialized training and mediation for a period of two and a half years. This will allow them to not only get familiar with the supply and demand but will also develop their social, communicative and professional work related skills which will motivate them to actively participate in the local labor market.
The target groups for this project are those between the ages of 18-55; Dutch nationals registered on St. Maarten; unemployed and have a willingness to learn and accept work.