One of Atania Joseph’s creations
Atania Joseph is twenty-nine years old. She is a single parent of one and the sole income-earner in her family who is currently employed full time. Atania is presently enrolled in one of The Bread, Cake and Pastry Level 2 CVQ Courses being facilitated by the National Enrichment and Learning Unit in St Lucia. She hopes to one day open her own business with the skills acquired from this training.
This course is part of a skills training project funded by SkYE with UKaid from the UK government. The support is providing life changing opportunities and experiences to unemployed, underemployed and disadvantaged youths in four beneficiary countries in the Eastern Caribbean.
AMBITION MEETS OPPORTUNITY
“Prior to joining this class, I always knew I had a passion for cooking as I have experimented with various dishes. I also had a keen interest for baking but did not know where I would get a class that worked with my time schedule to learn more” Atania explained. Information on the Skills for Youth Employment Programme was forwarded to her and Atania did not hesitate; she embraced it as an amazing opportunity. Her call to the National Enrichment & Learning Unit to find out more led to her enrollment into this class and her time to learn to bake.
‘‘It always weighed heavily on me that I needed a skill especially with this economic climate where no job is guaranteed. Therefore, pursuing The Bread, Cake and Pastry CVQ Course has had a significant impact on my life. First, I am more knowledgeable about food safety practices. Secondly, I am now equipped to provide a source of income not just for me but also for my family by starting a small business in the near future’’.
Atania is eager to embark on this journey of owning a small sugar delights shop where sweet treats, cakes and sweet pies can be prepared and sold. She expressed her appreciation to the SkYE programme for this life changing experience and acknowledges that such assistance will “allow many young persons the opportunity to learn a skill, become certified in a specific discipline and consequently gainfully employed or open their own small business.”
Atania communicated, ‘‘I now understand that skills do count and can assist in changing one’s financial situation if he/she remains persistent, consistent and always allows room for growth’’.
FACTS
The Skills for Youth Employment (SkYE) is a four-year, UKaid funded programme to provide certified skills training for 6,000 disadvantaged young people, including those challenged by disability, in four Eastern Caribbean countries: Dominica, Grenada, St Lucia and St Vincent & the Grenadines. The Programme will develop a more productive and inclusive workforce in sectors with good economic growth potential.
SkYE is supporting national training authorities and training providers to make systemic improvements to the development, delivery and quality assurance of technical, vocational education and training (TVET) in the four focus islands through targeted capacity building.
