NORANDA Jamaica Bauxite Partners, HEART Trust NTA, and Brown’s Town Community College are celebrating a great partnership after 98 students were recently certified in level two motor vehicle engine systems and welding.

The training programmes were held in collaboration with the three institutions in two locations: Water Valley in Noranda’s mining area, and Brown’s Town Community College campus in Discovery Bay near Noranda’s plant.

Of the 98 males who were trained and certified, 36 participated in a graduation exercise at Brown’s Town Community College Technical Campus in Discovery Bay on September 30.

According to Denworth Finikin, senior director of the Workforce Development and Employment Division of the HEART Trust NTA, several of the men who completed the programme could not attend the ceremony because they were already employed and it was difficult to get the time off from work.

He pointed to the need for market-driven training which will enable people who are trained to not only be certified, but to gain meaningful employment afterwards.

Attendees at the graduation had high praises for Noranda, which partnered with the HEART Trust NTA to allow employees in its operation areas to be trained and certified. Past principal of Brown’s Town Community College James Walsh said while the negatives are usually the focus, the good that the company does should also be highlighted.

“We need to balance it because good news is also news” he said, adding that Noranda should be commended for the role it has played in education.

Walsh also commended the HEART Trust NTA and Brown’s Town Community College for being viable partners.

In the meantime, Craig Thompson, engineering manager at Noranda, said training members of the community was a ‘win-win’ situation for the company which relies heavily on trained workers. He encouraged the graduates to “use the training they received as a stepping stone to greater things.”

Valedictorian Andrew Jackson also had high praises for Noranda and its partners.

“You are a saviour to our nation Jamaica,” he said, while encouraging organisations to continue serving.

Community Relations Superintendent Kent Skyers called on others to join those in training at the Water Valley and Discovery Bay training centre. He pointed out that while the company cannot put training centres in all communities, they are at central access points and are opened to emloyees in the company’s operation areas.