Jennifer Boodie spent years mastering trowels and scaffolding on construction sites, determined to carve out a better life for herself and her family.
Now, at 48, she is expanding her skills from concrete and masonry to the art of culinary preparation, joining nearly 200 graduates of the Board of Industrial Training (BIT) who are seizing government-supported opportunities to transform their futures.
At the Leonora Technical Institute on Monday, Boodie stood proudly among 191 BIT graduates. Her certificate in Commercial Food Preparation symbolises her relentless pursuit to upskill, diversify her income, and inspire other women to push beyond the boundaries of what is expected of them.
“I love cooking and that’s why I chose to do this course,” she said in an interview with the Department of Public Information (DPI).
This, however, is not the first course she completed through the BIT programme.
Jennifer completed courses in General Building Construction, Masonry and Barbering over the years.
The General Building Construction course equipped her with the essential skills needed to thrive in the construction industry, and she is now the proud supervisor of a construction site.
The determined mother plans to complete other courses that align with construction, such as electrical installation and welding.
Teron Pryce also graduated from the Electrical Installation programme and was awarded the most improved student.
“I have always been passionate about doing electrical work, and Sir (the instructor) encouraged me to join the programme,” Pryce explained when asked what motivated him to join the programme.
The practical sessions of the programme were the best part, according to Pryce, who plans to eventually work with an electrical company shortly. He would like to encourage young people like himself to join the BIT programme to upskill themselves.
Two young women, Niketa Dat and Darshanie Khan, who both completed the Heavy Duty Machinery Operators programme, are proudly graduating in a field that is mainly dominated by men.
“I like breaking barriers,” Dat explained as she reflected on the programme and how it has prepared her for the workforce in the heavy-duty machine sector.
Her colleague Darshanie Khan stated that she has gained a wonderful skill. She lauded the flexibility of the classes and the knowledgeable instructors. “Women now have an opportunity to come and have the training done through BIT,” Khan expressed.
Norma Nurse, who completed a course in Commercial food preparation, is a single mother of three.
BIT has provided her the opportunity to pursue a lifelong desire to be certified in food preparation.
She is thankful that this programme was made available for persons such as herself who did not have an opportunity to complete high school or attend the Carnegie School of Home Economics.
“In the work field, without a paper, you would always be discriminated on. You might do the work better than someone who is certified, but without that certification, you will never get the opportunity that you deserve,” she stated as she emphasised the importance of being certified.
Nurse, who is 49 years old, owns a small food business in La Parfaite Harmonie where she sells to construction workers in her area; she plans to use the new skills gained to expand her business.
Meanwhile, this batch of students is among the largest cluster that’s graduating from BIT with quality technical skills that offer them employment opportunities and an enhanced quality of life.
The competency-based training also provides students with the tools to shape their future and expand their opportunities.
CEO of the Board of Industrial Training Richard Maughn stated that some of the graduates have already gained employment as a result of their training.
“That is a testament to the quality of the training that is being implemented. It therefore means that you must have confidence in the skills you have acquired,” he stated.
The government remains committed to providing opportunities for all citizens to access training to upskill themselves.
