The manufacturing sector is very much alive and still presents real opportunities for graduates entering the workforce.
As he addressed the 2014 graduation ceremony of the Samuel Jackman Prescod Polytechnic over the weekend, Manager of Meridian Caribbean Ziad Khan told the graduating class that Barbados needed fresh talent to get ahead and he suggested they pursue careers in manufacturing.
General Manager of the Meridian Caribbean Inc Ziad Kazan.
“Barbados needs the talent that we have in house. We want you to chose local careers. We do not want to be importing labourers and engineers and consultants from overseas. We have them right here. There is no need to shy away thinking the manufacturing sector is dead.
“The manufacturing sector has real opportunities if you are looking at a meaningful career. The key to life is having an opened mind . . . We believe that the manufacturing sector is one that has been under represented over the years and hence why it is important for us to ensure that our young people can see the full potential of opportunities that we can offer in the manufacturing sector,” said the member of the Barbados Manufacturers Association.
Khan reminded the graduates that attitude was the one thing that had the greatest potential to shape their futures. He also told them that while it was inevitable that they would always face new challenges in life, it was their reaction to those issues which defined them.
“Attitude my friends is a great empowerer. Keep it in check. In life some people only see the challenges while others see opportunities. The difference between the two is there are positive attitudes. A negative thinker sees difficulty in every opportunity, but a positive thinker sees opportunity in every difficulty,” the speaker advised.