‘Success doesn’t come by sitting & wishing’- C. Micheal Thomas
Mr Thomas was addressing the territory's largest job fair of the Ministry of Education and Culture's Youth Employment Services (YES) held on June 12, 2017 at the Multi-Purpose Sports Complex in Road Town. Many local businesses were present, offering opportunities for employment to locals and other eligible persons.
But Mr Thomas made that statement at a time when local politicians have been banging entrepreneurs to employ locals at their business establishments as they continue to claim that too many qualified youths are without jobs and businesses continue to import labour.
Local youth don’t want to work
The seasoned businessman; however, seems to have hit at the core of the problem. Mr Thomas stressed that local young persons in the territory do not want to work after they land a job.
"The issue that I have with local kids is they come to work and they don’t work; and you are constantly chasing them, trying to bring them up to speed saying, come work with us here."
Mr Thomas thinks that once locals move away from the notion of entitlement they would be better off and function in jobs.
"Whatever you achieve in this life, you will have some days it is going to seem impossible; success is something you have to work on.....One of the things that we are trying to do is to hire more locals, more young persons from the market place. I know sometimes it's not an ideal situation for some. Most folks want to sit in an office with a tie and, trust me, it takes all types of jobs to grow this economy."
Thomas' statements were not only made in the presence of politicians but a large number of young persons and other entrepreneurs, who echoed similar sentiments.
Not a ‘unique’ situation
Dr The Honourable Kedrick D. Pickering (R7), Deputy Premier and Minister for Natural Resources and Labour, during his remarks, said the issue of unemployment among young people is not unique to the VI. He said worldwide, it's not about people who don't want to work, but it's about persons who are willing and qualified, but cannot find jobs.
Dr Pickering; however, supported Mr Thomas when he said that in many instances his Department goes out of the way to help individuals to place them in a position of work, and then they either don’t show up or they show up and don’t like the job and don’t perform.
"Understand that when somebody goes out of their way to help you, you have the responsibility to at least show that you can do it...try to make use of the opportunities because nobody owes you that."
Who feels it knows
"The politicians who are in the House of Assembly blasting us (local entrepreneurs) are not in the business arena like we are to see the nonsense we have to put up with our people when we take them on to work. It's not easy and I think some of them need to be sent away to work in other countries so they would see how important it is to appreciate a job in hand. I believe when they return they would show a better attitude to having a job in their homeland," said one entrepreneur who asked not to have his name or company's disclosed.
He further added, "A lot of our politicians who up there talking spent many years in another man's country working and extending their education. Many of them were taken on jobs ahead of persons who were born in those countries. It's the same as a business person. While you do care about nurturing persons they have to be able to adapt and, despite what qualifications they may have, they must know that sometimes you have to still start from the bottom and climb because many times they come with very little or no experience. At the end of the day we as business people look for productivity and returns."
YES initiative
The Youth Employment Services is an initiative that was launched by the Ministry of Education and Culture, under the direction of Hon Myron V. Walwyn (AL) in December 2011. The core objective of YES is to prepare the youth of the Virgin Islands with the skills needed to become efficient business professionals.
Participants of YES receive training in a number of areas including interviewing, effective written and oral communication, dressing for success and customer service.
The Youth Employment Services Programme is open to VIslanders and Belongers between the ages of 15-29.
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14 Responses to “‘Success doesn’t come by sitting & wishing’- C. Micheal Thomas”
Globally, for example, Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg, or even Richard Branson parents were patent attorneys and other similar professionals - middle to upperclass status with enough money to support their children's passions. Bill Gates and Zuckerberg wealth came from their parents support in drawing up patents and securing all right on their intellectual properties.
Let's start getting real with our youths and start giving them the hard facts; only then, we can start making things happen.