Newly appointed CEO of the T&T Chamber of Industry and Commerce Gabriel Faria was warmly welcomed on board yesterday when he attended the graduation ceremony for the organsation's JumpStart Programme. Faria will take over from Catherine Kumar who retires on September 30. In an address at the ceremony, Jacqueline Francois, a director of the Chamber, thanked Kumar for her many years of service and dedication. She then went on to address the JumpStart graduates, telling them they are critical asset to the future success of T&T.
"Every choice you make and every action you take will determine the progress, growth and development of our beloved country," she said. The JumpStart programme is an initiative of the Chamber's Nova Committee. Yesterday, 83 students graduated from the programme after completing apprenticeships with 48 participating companies and organisations across the country.
Francois commended the graduates for their persistence and dedication over the months of training and urged them to stay focused. "Without a doubt, the pathway to success is a richly rewarding one. We must harness our willpower to stay focused on your goals. The possibilities are endless, as long as you remain dedicated to your tasks, with a sense of purpose set firmly in your hearts and minds.
Always remember that giving up is not an option." Attorney-at-law Jonathan Bhagan urged the young people to keep seeking education whenever there is an opportunity. Sharing his own keys to his success, Bhagan admitted to failing examinations but emphasised that he never gave up. "The only person you have to be better than is your previous self.
I used to fail exams in Form Four, I failed Physics almost every time I sat exams. I also failed Maths often. The problem was more to do with my parent's separation and my brother's death during those years than anything else. I just wasn't focused on school," he said.
"I didn't let failure become a label, I worked at it and by the time I sat CXC I got one's in both Maths and Physics. If you want to be great you have to learn from your mistakes and keep the faith which is the secret to success."