Forty-two apprentices, including 41 skilled craftsmen and women and one sugar boiler, graduated from the GuySuCo Training Centre at Port Mourant (GTC-PM) on Wednesday, with valedictorian Sebastian Raghunauth urging young people to learn a trade, crediting his late mother’s insistence that “nobody can take that away from you when you learn it”.
The ceremony marked the successful completion of rigorous technical training programmes designed to prepare Guyana’s future industrial workforce.
The institution offers two specialised apprenticeship programmes. Its four-year Craft Apprenticeship Programme begins with a foundation year in general engineering before trainees move into specialised studies and two years of practical in-plant training at sugar estates.
The three-year Sugar Boiler Apprenticeship Programme focuses on equipping trainees with the technical knowledge and practical skills required in sugar production.
The 21-year-old Raghunauth, of Barnwell, East Bank Essequibo, was named valedictorian of the 2022 Industrial Electrician/Installation Repair Mechanic intake.
He was among several students who earned triple distinctions in Industrial Electrician and Installation Repair Mechanic but was selected as the programme’s top graduating student.
Speaking with Ignite News following the ceremony, Raghunauth admitted he was pleasantly surprised to have been named valedictorian.
“Well, it was surprising to know that I was the valedictorian. Not as much as surprising as I thought, but there was so much competition despite me having a triple distinction. There were other people with triple distinctions, so I’m very grateful for this achievement, and I will take this as a stepping stone into moving forward in life and future endeavours,” he said.
He reflected on the journey that brought him to the training centre, explaining that after completing school in 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic delayed new admissions.
“Back in 2020, when I finished school, there was a long COVID pandemic time, and the GuySuCo Training Centre was not taking applications for new intake. I worked looking after chickens and doing other work until applications reopened in 2022,” he said.
Raghunauth credited his mother for encouraging him to pursue a trade.
“My mom told me, ‘Sebastian, you need to learn a trade because nobody can take that away from you when you learn it. If you don’t want to learn a trade, then you need to go to the army.’ I decided to come to the GuySuCo Training Centre,” he said.
“My mother has six children. I’m the third child, and she worked hard. She always told me, ‘Don’t think you’re going to drop out. Stay dedicated.’ Today I’m proud, and I feel like this achievement should not be for me, but for my mother.”
Although describing the four-year programme as demanding, he said it was also one of the most rewarding experiences of his life.
“It was tough most of all, but apart from it being tough, it was a lot of shared experiences. I left Guyana for the first time, and I’ve built a lot of relationships with people. It’s been four years, and today to know that I’m graduating, I’m very, very grateful for all the achievements and everything that GuySuCo did for me,” he said.
He said dropping out was never an option.
“I never felt like dropping out because after spending one weekend here, I felt like I had spent too long here to drop out,” he said.
The young valedictorian also shared the emotional significance behind his achievement, revealing that he was following in the footsteps of his late father, who was an electrician.
Offering words of encouragement to current apprentices, Raghunauth urged them to remain committed despite the challenges of being away from home.
He also encouraged young people considering enrolling at the training centre to seize the opportunity without hesitation.
Graduates left the ceremony equipped with practical skills, professional experience and the confidence to contribute meaningfully to the country’s development.
The event was attended by several government and industry officials, including Chief Executive Officer of GuySuCo Paul Cheong, Adviser to the Ministry of Agriculture Dr Richard A. Blair, Chief Executive Officer of the Board of Industrial Training (BIT) Richard Maughn, Director of the Guyana Technical Training College Inc. (GTTCI) Professor Clement Sankat, Regional Chairman of Region Six Junior Basant, members of the GuySuCo Board of Directors and estate managers attached to GuySuCo.
