SEARCHING FOR AN OPPORTUNITY
She was at home, unemployed and applying for different vacant positions without much luck. Then, her mother shared a Facebook advert of a SkYE training opportunity at Monroe College. This is how her life turned around and her second chance became a reality!! Meet Titanya Antoine, a 27-year-old young adult who saw an opportunity and decided to make the very best out of it.
When asked about her reasons for entering the UKaid funded programme, Titanya said, “I took the Bookkeeping course because during my time at secondary school, I disliked Accounting with a passion. I thought Bookkeeping could be a challenge, and so, for a change, I saw this as an opportunity to change my mindset”. She also added that in her overall experience, “The bookkeeping course showed me how to budget my money in my personal life and has also made me look into doing my bachelor’s degree.”
PLANS FOR THE FUTURE
Now that the programme at Monroe is complete, Titanya is looking to the future. She said, “I am really pleased that I took advantage of this training programme and applied myself as today, I am a student intern at a Microfinance firm where I have served two months of a three-month probation”. Furthermore, Titanya indicated that the Bookkeeping course is not only a bonus to her resume but it also awakened a desire to further her education which she believes will definitely increase her chances at success. She said, “I am interested in pursuing a second level of the Bookkeeping course as there are topics I would love to delve deeper into”.
Titanya is grateful that her second chance was realized; she says, “Thank you SkYE for helping me realize that once you are determined and motivated, it will benefit and open doors to opportunities. I have also realized that I should always apply myself to opportunities when provided. My hopes and dreams are to be successful and to give myself the best education I can. I am still searching for my passion, dream job – my interest is Project Management or Hospitality Management.”
The SkYE programme, funded by UKaid, will give thousands of young persons in Saint Lucia and across the Windward Islands a second chance, by allowing them the opportunity to learn a skill and get certified to help them to seek employment opportunities or become entrepreneurs. SkYE is throwing a lifeline to youth by helping them change their narrative through training and education.
FACTS
Skills for Youth Employment (SkYE) is a four-year, UKaid funded programme to provide certified skills training for 6,000 disadvantaged young people, including those challenged by disability, in four Eastern Caribbean countries: Dominica, Grenada, St Lucia and St Vincent & the Grenadines. The Programme will develop a more productive and inclusive workforce in sectors with good economic growth potential.
SkYE is supporting national training authorities and training providers to make systemic improvements to the development, delivery and quality assurance of technical, vocational education and training (TVET) in the four focus islands through targeted capacity building.
