Grand Bahama Shipyard Gives BYLD Students Firsthand Look at Ship Repair Careers
FREEPORT, Grand Bahama – Students from the Bahamas Institute for Youth Leadership Development (BYLD) continued their tour of exciting career opportunities during an educational visit to the Grand Bahama Shipyard late last month.
BYLD institute focuses on mentoring and training 11th– and 12th-grade students across The Bahamas, including educational trips to Atlanta and visits to various islands, government offices, educational facilities, and local businesses. This year’s class hails from Abaco, Bimini, Grand Bahama and Nassau, and had the opportunity to observe ship repair operations at Grand Bahama Shipyard, including a guided tour of the Shipyard’s floating drydocks and active repair areas while learning about the skills, specialised equipment and teamwork required to complete complex vessel repair projects safely and efficiently.
“Experiences like this help our young people connect what they are learning today with opportunities available to them in the future,” said Zhivargo Laing, BYLD Founder.“Through our continued partnership with Grand Bahama Shipyard, students were able to explore an important local industry, speak directly with professionals and see that there are many pathways to building successful careers here in Grand Bahama.”
A highlight of the visit was the opportunity to hear from Grand Bahama Shipyard employees who began their careers as apprentices and later advanced into administrative roles. Drawing on more than a decade of experience, the employees encouraged students to embrace opportunities for professional growth. “I entered the program at seventeen without having every step of my career mapped out,” said Anthoniqua Duncanson, Planner at Grand Bahama Shipyard. “As part of the apprentice program, I rotated through different areas of the Shipyard, which helped me discover where my strengths and interests were best suited. Today, I am part of the planning team, coordinating the schedules, resources and sequence of work required to complete projects safely and on time.”
By hearing directly from employees who have advanced within the company, students saw how technical education, workplace training and continued professional development can lead to long-term careers in the industry.
“The Apprenticeship Program gave me the opportunity to learn the technical side of ship repair and gain experience across several departments,” said Ashley Burnett, Project Manager at Grand Bahama Shipyard when speaking to the students. “I began in welding and never imagined that I would one day become a project manager.”
For Tiana Alleyen, Junior Chaperone with the BYLD program, the tour broadened her understanding of the work performed at the Shipyard.“When I thought of the Shipyard, I just thought of boats coming in, a quick one, two, three, and then out,” said Alleyne. “I didn’t realize how detailed the ship repair process is and everything that they do. That was the first time I saw a floating drydock. It was very engaging.”
Chris Earl, CEO of GBSL, also joined the visit, sharing insight into the Shipyard’s operations and answering questions from the students. “I was pleased to learn our partnership with BYLD has now spanned ten years,” said Earl “Relationships with youth-development programs create an important bridge between education and the workplace. Bringing students into the Shipyard, connecting them directly with our workforce and allowing them to hear how our employees have developed their careers gives young Bahamians a practical understanding of the opportunities available to them right here at home.”
