The National Skills Development Centre is a second chance. For many it is the answer to their prayers. Education is expensive and seemingly out of the reach of many St Lucians and, yes, this article might just read like a PR piece for an organization that is bringing hope to people who otherwise would believe they are hopeless, or it might just inspire you to take the second chance that the centre is offering. Why all this hoopla about a centre that has been open for almost a decade? Well, because the centre has only just starting making a hoopla about its own work and took the spotlight Thursday when 300 students graduated at a ceremony at the Sandals Grande Resort and Spa.
Seated up front were the Governor General Dame Pearlette Louisy, feature speaker Rick Wayne, Security Minister Guy Mayers and the Education Ministry’s Permanent Secretary Rufina Frederick. Also in the audience was Castries South representative Robert Lewis.
The robed-down graduates and their proud family members, also dressed for the occasion, occupied the rest of the seating in the Bill Clinton Ballroom, a fitting location, not only because the owner of the hotel, Butch Stewart, was himself a rags-to-riches story but because the message from most of the speakers to come would be clear: you can be anything you want to be if you put your mind to it, even the next prime minister or president!
The theme of the day was, ‘Strengthened through standards to meet Global challenges’ and the first speaker was Faith Jn Baptiste, project manager of the OECS Skills Project, who gave the graduates some encouragement saying, “this is a magnificent day, magnificent for those who never imagined this day would be possible; who never dreamt that they would have a second chance; who never believed that they would get this far.”
For her part Rufina Frederick said the education landscape had changed and St Lucia had rose to the challenge by offering something different to the traditional system of learning.
Perhaps among the most proud of the graduates that day was supervisor of the centre, Barry Paul. The young manager explained the work of centre since it was established in 2001, adding that they have worked closely with the private and public sector to deliver skills programs to thousands who want the training, so they can be engaged in the workforce.
The organization hit a setback this year when the Bisee premises were burglarized. Paul said however the private sector and regional organizations came to their aid.
“The NSDC is truly blessed to have lost and regained more in the long run,” said Paul to a round of applause.
STAR publisher and talk-show host Rick Wayne did not disappoint. He focused his attention on the graduands, stressing to them that their potential was limitless. He began however, by noting the public relations for the organization was lacking.
“I am a pretty well-informed guy, how come I don’t know more about the NSDC?” he asked. “This is a great surprise to me and whoever is responsible for the lack of publicity, the fact that St Lucians know nothing about this fantastic organization, something is wrong somewhere!”
The statement got the STAR publisher his first applause of the afternoon and in the rest of his speech he was true to form letting the “canon balls fly,” as he put it. He offered the graduands some encouragement by telling his own success story and some stories too about other great people, who had succeeded despite the odds.
“Straight off the bat, let me assure you, regardless of your current circumstances, that if you truly want it success can be yours. Trust me, you have a hundred more opportunities today than were available in my youth. It doesn’t matter where you are right now; it doesn’t matter if you haven’t the required academic qualifications. Whatever you need, at your age right now, you can get it. The first thing you need to develop is a roaring appetite for success,” Wayne said.
“Now don’t understand me too quickly,” he went on giving his signature stare from over the brim of his glasses. “I am not suggesting for a minute that success will come if you just sit around daydreaming about it. Don’t just think sit there thinking, Gee, wouldn’t it be nice to have a nice home like so and so has? Wow, I sure would like a TV like John’s. Or a nice girlfriend or boyfriend. You have to get off your fantasizing butt and do whatever it will take to achieve your goals.”
The former Mr World and Mr Universe told of how he dreamed, even as a Laborie boy, of being a champion bodybuilder with his mentor being Steve Reeves, a bodybuilder he actually got to meet later on in his life. He even still had a copy of a magazine he “borrowed” from the library with the famous bodybuilder’s picture on the cover. He held it up to oohs and aahs! And graduants seemed to lean in closer as they saw the proof of the tale.
“I received very little encouragement from other St Lucians I met in England,” Wayne said when he decided to pursue his career. “Ironically, the people who encouraged me most were the same white folk that my St Lucian friends said were racist. Before long I was not only winning bodybuilding contests like Mr Britain and Mr Europe but I was also recording songs like In My Imagination for big record companies. The Mr Nothing little boy from the nowhere village of Laborie, who was expelled from school, was going places—even without a school certificate. And all because I dared to dream my impossible dream.” The Mr America, Mr World, Mr Universe titles soon came also. Wayne then decided to pursue a career in writing. Wayne was also singled out last year by the government and given of the highest honours—being named an Officer of the British Empire—for his contribution to journalism. (He left that little tidbit out of his motivational speech even though the day’s program read ‘Rick Wayne, O.B.E.’)
“I hope the point to all of this is obvious. In case you’re still wondering about my academic background, let me tell you that I never had any big deal education. I never got a college degree, let alone a PhD. Not that I’m knocking education, you understand. Far from it. Education can be a great thing. But it is certainly not everything. Some of the most successful people I know, among them writers, stage performers—even my good friend the governor of California Arnold Schwarzenegger—never went to university. Conversely, I know some people right here in St Lucia who have the whole alphabet behind their names. Ironic, isn’t it? But let’s not go there before I start telling you what I really think about some of our leaders.”
This day was after all about the students so the controversial Wayne stayed on topic.
“I did not have the advantage of rich parents. I did not have the benefit of a great education. But I had barrels of ambition. I wanted to be the best at whatever I chose to do and never let anything stand in my way. I continue to want to be the best at what I do. If our beloved governor general ever chooses to talk to you about her own successful life, you’ll find she and I have at least one thing in common—other than our native village Laborie: I daresay we both have an unstoppable determination to pursue our ambitions.”
Finally he left them with some words of upliftment: “Always believe in yourself. Wherever you are today, whatever you may be doing at this time, consider it the first step to where you plan to be tomorrow. No job is beneath you. Remember, too, that you alone can decide whether you fail or succeed. Eschew gossip. Guard against envy. Stay focused on your own goals. Go after the small victories now, whether they involve private study for a degree or some other goal, then move on to the bigger ones.
“Never permit self-defeating thoughts to enter your mind. Always remember you are what you think. If you think you’re nothing, then you’re nothing, no matter what anyone else might tell you to the contrary. The reverse is just as true. If you believe you’re wonderful on the way to becoming even more wonderful, never mind what others might say, that’s who you are: Mr and Ms Wonderful. I wish you the very best of luck. The world is yours to conquer. Have fun and remember: If you don’t have a dream, how you gonna make a dream come true?”
The event continued with the presentation of awards and certificates and the 300 graduates and their families enjoying their moment in the sun!
The National Skills Development Centre was established to provide skills training and career information service for unemployed clients seeking integration into the work environment. The centre was formerly launched in February 2001 and has since embraced its mandate to expose clients to the relevant aptitudes, skills and knowledge needed to conduct effective job search activities to access self and wage employment opportunities. The centre offers a wide range of programs and services, which include career counseling, productivity enhancement training, technical and vocational skill training, job attachment, a job placement program and referral to other agencies for which the clients qualify.