... so says Guyana's Junior Youth Minister
Carpentry, electrical work, welding, machine operations, culinary arts, and coding are just a few technical and vocational pathways — skills in high demand as Guyana undergoes rapid economic expansion.
Despite this, hesitancy persists. Office jobs and traditionally sought-after professions like medicine and law are still seen in some quarters as the standard young people should aspire to. Guyana's Minister within the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport, Steven Jacobs, knows the misconceptions associated with technical and vocational careers all too well.
"A young person who learns welding is gaining a high-level technical skill that supports construction, energy, manufacturing, and industrial development," Jacobs emphasised at the National Youth Skills Forum, held on Wednesday at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre, Liliendaal.
The same goes for the carpenter, the mason, the machine operator, and the chef. Jacobs emphasised that these are all valuable and lucrative careers.
"Technical and vocational skills are no fallback option for success. They are premier pathways to success, and I encourage each and every single one of you here to remember that," he told hundreds of youth gathered at the forum.
Finance Minister Dr. Ashni Singh echoed similar sentiments, telling the gathering that some of these career pathways carry salaries comparable to, or even greater than, jobs considered conventionally reputable.
He encouraged attendees to seek out training and employment opportunities as soon as possible.
"While you are figuring out what you want to do, get up and do something. Get up and do something. Make a start. Sign up for a training course; do the training course. Apply for a job; get the job and start the work. You can still be thinking about what you want to do. That's okay. But make a start and do something," Dr. Singh said.
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