Good afternoon, everyone.
What a pleasure it is to be here to mark this momentous occasion with you all.
In ten years, the National Training Agency (NTA) has evolved from a bold idea of the Christie administration into a premier educational institution, proudly carrying out its remit of streamlining skills training, developing human resources, and supplying qualified and skilled labour for The Bahamas.
The NTA, a people-focused and results-driven organisation dedicated to improving the workforce of this country, is a vital tool in the arsenal of national development.
From the Institute of Leadership and Management to workforce preparatory programming and skills training, the National Training Agency is a multi-faceted and comprehensive solution to the workforce shortages of our service-based economy.
It is no secret that some of our young people, especially our young boys, struggle to make the transition from secondary education to full-time employment. Perhaps they lack sufficient skills, or the temperament required to succeed in the job market. At any rate, this reality is less than ideal.
But by offering behavioural and skills training services, in addition to valuable employment schemes, the NTA is bridging the gap between where the young people stand, and where they want to be. This is no small feat.
In fact, it is a feat which deserves a roaring round of applause!
The government is committed to supporting our young people and helping them become the best they can be.
At the Office of the Prime Minister, for instance, we have just welcomed an impressive cadre of interns, to support the crucial work we do on a daily basis.
They have already impressed us with their eagerness to learn, and their sharp intellect. You can rest assured that this is not the first time, and certainly not the last, that we will be welcoming young people into the fold.
But it is not only young people who benefit from the work of the NTA. It is also the mature worker considering a change in vocation, and the adult looking to improve her literacy and numeracy.
The National Training Agency supports all segments of the population, through offerings which satisfy a wide spectrum of occupational objectives.
And so, for all your invaluable efforts, I say thank you.
Keep up the good work! And enjoy this celebratory luncheon. You have earned it.
May God bless you all, and the entire Commonwealth of The Bahamas.
