PATRICIA Durrant, the first ever United Nation’s Ombudsman, has reminded Jamaicans that they are now competing with the rest of the world for jobs, and that only quality education will enable them to effectively compete for openings in a globalised economy.

Addressing Thursday night’s 80th Anniversary Banquet of the St Andrew High School for Girls, Durrant reminded her audience, particularly those entering the job market, that they needed to pursue excellence in order to succeed.

“You must be able to compete for jobs with any person in any part of the world,” said Durrant, while reminding her audience of the legacy of commitment to excellence at the leading girls’ school.

“You will also need to think outside the box. In our virtual world you might choose to stay at home and do the taxes of a company thousands of miles away, there are countless opportunities created by advances in technology,” said Durrant.

The St Andrew alumnus was appointed the first ever UN Ombudsman by UN Secretary-general Kofi Annan in 2002, an office created by the UN General assembly at the close of 2001.

In a distinguished diplomatic career, Durrant served as Jamaica’s ambassador to the Federal Republic of Germany (formerly West Germany) and non-resident ambassador to the Holy See, Israel, the Netherlands and Switzerland, as well as serving as Director-General in Jamaica’s foreign ministry.

From 1983-87, she represented Jamaica at the United Nations as Deputy Permanent representative and was later appointed Permanent Representative from 1995-2002.

She has also received many awards, including the Order of Distinction (CD) and in 2002, the Order of Jamaica for services to Jamaica in the field of international relations. In 2002 she was bestowed with an honorary doctorate from the college of New Rochelle and in 2005 the University of the West Indies conferred on her the honorary degree of Doctor of Laws (LLD).

A number of awards were bestowed on distinguished graduates of St Andrew High, regarded as trailblazers in their chosen fields for being the first females appointed to top positions locally and abroad.

Among the awardees, including Durrant, were:

.Audrey McNeil-Smith (nee Lewis), first female member North American Life’s Leaders Club

.Dr Hyacinth Ione Boothe, first female ordained Methodist Minister

.Dr Barbara Carby, first female director of the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Mangement

.Dr Blossom O’Mealy Nelson, first female Postmaster General of Jamaica

.Marjorie Whylie, first and only musical director of the internationally acclaimed National Dance Theatre Company of Jamaica

.Lady Marie Simmons (nee MacCormack), first female High Court judge in Barbados

.Beverly (Walters) Walrond, first female president of the Bar Association of Barbados

.Dorothy Pine McLarty, first female to be admitted to partnership at Myers Fletcher and Gordon and first female independent member of the Jamaica electoral Advisory Committee

.Hillary Phillips, first woman president of the Jamaican Bar Association and co-founder of PULSE

. Barbara Gloudon, first female editor of the Star newspaper

. Ellen Bogle, first female to present her credentials at the Court of St James (the highest in diplomatic circles)

.Professor the Hon Elsa Leo Rhynie, first woman to be elected principal of the UWI

. Glynne Gordon-Carter, first officer of the Committee for Minority Ethnic Anglican Concerns, Church of England

. Gloria Barrett-Sobers, first female university registrar, UWI, Mona

. Gloria Knight (deceased), first female and first general manager of the Urban Development Corporation (UDC)

. Marie Hector Clarke, first caribbean woman deputy chairman of The Voice Communications Group (UK)

. Phillipa J Street, first woman from the Caribbean to be admitted to Yale University

.Ambassador Elinor Sherlock (nee Phillips), first female appointed Ambassador to Cuba

. Juanita Briscoe-first female engineering graduate, UWI

. Maxine Henry-Wilson, first female general-secretary of any political party in Jamaica

. Vilma Belle Charlton (OD), first woman in Jamaica to become a qualified and certified International Amateur Athletic Federation Lecturer and Official

.Jennifer Cox (deceased), first female general manager of the Insurance Company of the West Indies

. Shirley Ann Eaton, first female appointed executive director, Jamaica Bankers Association

. Audrey Gaynor, first Jamaican to be qualified as an international, Grade 1 Hockey Umpire

. Grace Ashley, first female president of the Jamaica Institution of Engineers

. Hope Allison Stewart (deceased), creator of Schools Challenge Quiz

. Margaret Bernal, first commissioner to take Jamaican art to the Venice Biennlae (world’s biggest art show), first publisher of a Caribbean art magazine and first Jamaican woman to win the BBC Commonwealth Poetry prize

. Petrona Morrison, first person to win an Issa scholarship for art

. Jennifer Moreland, first black and first female corporate account director, as well as first black person promoted National and Executive Director of Johnson and Johnson USA

.Jackie Walter, first technical director of the Amateur Swimming Association of Jamaica

. Joan Panton, first and only female manager of CIBC Trust and Merchant Bank

. Felicity Crosswell-Brandt, first woman to become a Steward at Caymanas Race Track

. Elizabeth Armstrong (OD) (nee Walters), first founder and president of the Caribbean Equestrian Association

. Beverly E Grant Lewis, first female head of the department of Anaesthetics at the Kingston Public Hospital (KPH).