During his feature address at the 8th graduation of the Multi-sector Skills Training (MuST) programme on Saturday August 22, the Honourable Patrick Manning, Prime Minister of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago noted that our nation’s resources must be deployed in a manner so our disadvantaged and vulnerable citizens have opportunities for self-development. The Honourable Prime Minister added, “This MuST programme is particularly designed to advance towards that goal….it has brought empowerment to the economically disadvantaged, displaced workers and the differently abled. It is one of the instruments by which we ensure that no one is left behind as our country moves forward.”

Over two thousand trainees graduated at the ceremony at the University of Trinidad and Tobago (UTT), O’Meara Campus in Arima. They represented Cycles 65, 66, 67, 68, 70, 73, 74, 75, 76 and 77 of MuST which provides hands-on specialized training to citizens interested in construction or the hospitality and tourism sectors. Among the wide cross section of skills which were represented in the past cycles were trainees who received certificates in steel tying, electrical installation, property upkeep, bartending and food preparation just to name a few.

The Honourable Christine Kangaloo, Minister of Science, Technology and Tertiary Education also addressed the graduates. She highlighted tracer studies which have found that 98.7% of MuST trainees believe that the programme had changed their lives for the better.

The MuST Programme is a specialised craft-training programme that seeks to develop skilled workers within the Construction and Hospitality and Tourism sectors. MuST trainees work alongside skilled workers on actual job sites provided by industry partners. The programme targets nationals between the ages 18-50 years who are unemployed, motivated to achieve, displaced workers, differently abled and/or re-entrants to productive society.