It was the end of their training and the beginning of a whole new life as 16 young Crucians received certificates of completion from a Pinnacle Services vocational training class.
Their efforts were recognized at a luncheon Friday afternoon at the Carambola Golf Club that included praise from their instructors and government officials.
The 16 were students in Pinnacle’s 2011 pipefitters training program. Pipefitting is the craft of laying out, assembling, maintaining and repairing mechanical piping systems, usually in high-pressure industrial settings. The six-month course included almost 600 hours of classroom and practical training.
But while measuring, cutting, threading and welding steel pipes was the core of the curriculum, it wasn’t all the students learned, said Frank Abednego, who as human resources manager for Pinnacle was also one of the class’s instructors. They also learned about attitude, hard work and dedication to the jobs that their training had prepared them for.
Abednego noted that in one of their last sessions together, he had planned to talk to them about opportunities. But they didn’t want to hear about the future just yet, he said. They were focused on the here and now, planning to study together for their certification tests.
Raymond Williams, the chief of staff for Lt. Gov. Gregory R. Francis, told the audience that while some people have the perception that industrial training is beneath them, "It’s actually the best thing."
He noted that in his high school career he had studied electronics with an eye towards an industrial career. Staying open to life’s opportunities and growing can take you anywhere, even to the right hand of one of the territory’s top officials.
"Use your training well," he said.
Sen. Sammuel Sanes told the assembly that he saw the territory’s future in them, and "our future is on good hands."
The 16 graduating students are Tobias Augustin, Nico Canegata, Romeo Collymore, Sady Francis, Shaundi Gilbert, Gregory Green, Sharif Hodge, John Joseph, Hilarion Lesmond, Kherique Lewis, I’Koyo Matthias, Jason Philbert, Mickey Poleon, Jermal Randolph, Gideon Small and Kareem Swanston.
Sharif Hodge was recognized for being top of the class, Kherique Lewis for being most improved, Jason Philbert for going "above and beyond," and Kareem Swanston for having the best attendance.
Another example of the students’ dedication was in how they had prepared for Friday’s event. Abednego had told them the audience would include representatives from Hovensa and other industrial businesses that might be hiring. After the ceremony was over, they gathered around those officials, handing them their resumes.
