The Premier, the Hon. W. McKeeva Bush, OBE, JP, advised a new group of seven auto mechanic trainees to stay the course.

“Studying will not kill you,” he told the six young men and one young woman, urging them to be punctual, attend classes regularly and concentrate on the course that is being provided free of cost by local full-service garage, Superior Auto.

“It hurts and tears me apart to see young people not being productive,” he commented. Revealing that lack of funds had stymied his further education in his teen years, Mr. Bush noted determined efforts to improve his education led him to read books from the public library.

However, the encouragement he received from many people helped him, he revealed. He asked the trainees to make the most of the support they were getting from Mr. Mark and Mrs. Denise DeMercado of Superior Auto, the principals behind the training programme.

“If you want to talk or need my advice, feel free to talk to me,” he added.

The students’ classes, a year of theory and practical lessons, will prepare them to take the first assessment examinations at the Jamaica German Automotive School in order to become certified automotive technicians, according to Mrs. DeMercado.

“It is challenging but we need to help the young people,” she said.

Acknowledging the support the programme has received from individual volunteers as teachers and monetarily from Rotary Sunrise, Rotary Central, Price Waterhouse Coopers and now HSBC, she said the three students from the first class are already employed at Prestige Motors, Car City and Superior Auto.