FREEPORT, Grand Bahama – Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture, the Hon. Iram Lewis, on Friday, April 9 encouraged participants at the launch of the Job Ready Program to stay positive no matter what obstacles they face.

Held under the theme, “Resilient Youth: Ready for the Workplace” at St. Paul’s Methodist Church Youth Block, the Minister explained that he is from Water Cay where life was considered by many as hard, but he motivated himself. He said that he often questioned why things happened: the loss of his only son, the loss of his brother and best friend, the loss of his adopted daughter and the loss of his father but realized that he was being prepared for where he is now.

He quoted an unknown author, “Every morning, you have two choices: continue to sleep with your dreams or wake up and chase them!”

It was obvious that those present were dream chasers, he said, and added he was pleased to be in their company.

The program, open to young people between the ages of 17 and 25, was a special cohort, being the first since the global pandemic.

“In The Bahamas typically,” he said, “the youth are presented with a variety of social issues such as crime, poverty and social inequalities just to name a few. My Ministry understands the importance of our young people overcoming these issues on the road to a successful life. Therefore, this program provides opportunities for our youth to realign themselves and get on the right track through our soft skills development and on-­‐the-­‐job training.

“Through acquiring these skills from our Job Ready Program many young men and women have equipped themselves with the tools needed to build lifelong careers.”

Due to the large number of applications submitted, over 130, for the first time there are two cohorts, one in Freeport and a second in Eight Mile Rock.

The participants will benefit from Bahama Host, Food Safety & Handling, Health & Safety Protocols, Hands on Activities, Lively & Interactive Presentations, and Webinars to ensure the students walk away with a wealth of knowledge and the skills they need to succeed.

“Friends and families of these young adults, I want you to know the journey has just begun. Our young people will need our continued support as they journey through this Job Ready Program and transition into the working world. Thank you for your investment in these young men and women; for truly believing in them.

“Lastly, to our participants, our young people. I encourage you to take full advantage of the opportunities made available to you and commit to your own personal development as young adults. I implore you to stay closely connected with our team at the Ministry of Youth via social media, on Facebook and on Instagram. We are committed to assisting you through mentorship, guidance and networking in an effort to equip you for the workplace.

“Finally, I challenge you to embrace the opportunities that await you in the Job Ready Program, remembering that every day is an opportunity to learn something new.”