Two Males Receive Minister’s 2024 Maritime Award
Two male students who completed disciplines in Maritime Studies at the Samuel Jackman Prescod Institute of Technology (SJPI) were today presented with the Minister’s Award of Maritime Excellence for 2024.
Seventeen-year-old James O’Neale and 42-year-old Shawn Seales were awarded for their outstanding performance in the SJPI’s Marine Operations Certificate Programme and Marine Diesel Engineering Diploma Programme, respectively.
They received a trophy and a monetary prize of $750.00. In addition, Mr. O’Neale will participate in a six-month internship at the Barbados Port Inc.
Speaking at the Ministry of Tourism and International Transport’s One Barbados Place, Warrens, St. Michael headquarters, Minister Ian Gooding-Edghill, stressed that the shipping industry, which falls under the maritime sector, is the “backbone of global trade” and is critical to the daily operations of businesses.
He noted that shipping is vital to keeping economies and societies afloat, and is the lifeblood of global supply chains, stretching across oceans, connecting goods and communities.
“We live in a society which simply could not function if it were not for shipping…. Shipping is responsible for the transport of the majority of goods that drive the economy and also provides vital distribution directly interconnecting businesses to worldwide markets….
“Training and retraining are essential in building capacity in the maritime sector. The upgrading of skill sets is required if you want to take advantage of opportunities in this dynamic and exciting maritime industry. Today is proof that retraining and upgrading of skills can be rewarding,” Mr. Gooding-Edghill stated.
The International Transport Minister noted that while the Ministry is the focal point for the Barbados Maritime Transport Administration, its work could not be completed without its partners, the SJPI, and the Bridgetown Port Inc. (BPI), and thanked the entities for their efforts in improving the human resource capacity in the maritime sector.
SJPI’s Principal, Ian Drakes, noted that the institution is committed to enhancing the country’s youth in technical and vocational skills.
“We at the SJPI are charged with responding to the youthful persons as citizens of this country, and to make sure we empower them with technical vocation education … and so SJPI has been paramount in pushing that aspect.
“And so, this is another one of those aspects as we look to embark for the new cohort, to let them know when you come to the SJPI, this is what is possible. These are the possibilities for the youth. When they ask, what is next, we pride ourselves at the SJPI in saying to them after graduation, this is what is next, and having the Port as one of the partners in this has shown that with the internship some of them have gone on to get great jobs internationally,” Mr. Drakes said.
BPI’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO), David Jean-Marie, indicated that they too value the relationship with SJPI in helping to build out the human resource capacity at the BPI.
“Our relationship with the Samuel Jackman Prescod Institute goes back many years, I might add, and is one we value highly…. The internship programme, now in its seventh year, is designed to enhance student learning by allowing them the opportunity to perform real work in their respective areas of study, while the interns gain professional work experience and exposure to the Port’s business lines and operations. The Port, in return, gains a fresh perspective from the new and emerging workforce. Barbados Port Inc. pledges its ongoing support to maritime training,” Mr. Jean-Marie stated.
Mr. O’Neale, on being awarded for his excellent performance, said: “It feels great to win the award, seeing as I left secondary school I wasn’t really sure what I wanted to do but coming to SJPI and doing the best of my ability and knowing I came top of the class feels great.”
Mr. Seales, who had won the Award for Excellence in the Marine Operations Certificate Programme for 2022, remarked: “It feels good. I expected to excel.”
Author: Sheena Forde-Craigg