Thornton mixology trainees stirring up bright futures

Thanks to an extended training period to support their skills development in mixology, 21 youth trainees at the Thornton Community Centre in St Elizabeth can now look forward to internship opportunities and securing full-time employment over the next few months.

“This programme has taught us invaluable skills and has created a safe space for us to bond with each other,” shared trainee Caresha Daley as she reflected on the impact of the training initiative.

To ensure these budding mixologists are well prepared for their most crucial assessment, the Desnoes and Geddes (D&G) Foundation provided all the necessary ingredients for the group’s pinnacle event, the ‘Bartenders Mix-Off’, along with cash awards for the participating teams. The assessment was hosted on April 18.

“There were no other upskilling opportunities being offered before the centre partnered with the D&G Foundation and HEART to host this training course. Now, we have learnt both practical and soft skills to help us take advantage of future opportunities. Others are eager to participate in the programme as well. So we would want the D&G Foundation to continue extending their support,” added Daley.

As a key partner to the ‘Learning for Life’’ initiative, the D&G Foundation has collaborated with the HEART/NSTA Trust for over 15 years, focusing on empowering underserved youths through professional development. Typically, each training course involves a three-week classroom training period before the trainees embark on internships at major hotels across the island. However, the latest cohort of bartender trainees at the Thornton Community Centre is undergoing an extended training period to ensure they are thoroughly prepared for internships and subsequent full-time employment.

“At the outset of the course, the trainees were quite anxious, uncertain of what to expect. Despite varying levels of prior experience in bartending, including some who already own bars, they were initially not very confident and hesitated to speak up in class. However, these trainees have shown remarkable improvement over time, particularly some winning team members. This course is just the beginning for them. Whether they aim to enhance their establishments or excel in other venues, I have no doubt they will do well,” shared Peta-Gaye Tain, mixology instructor at the HEART/NSTA Trust.

Shortly, trainees will take on internships at major hotels across the island, including Sandals South Coast, The Jamaica Pegasus hotel in St Andrew, Beaches Negril, and Sandals Montego Bay.

“This programme is designed to give youths an exciting opportunity to upskill, and today’s session exemplified that. Not only do we offer a stipend as the youths undergo training, but we also learned on our last visit to the centre that they needed additional support for their major assessment. We committed to donating the supplies and participating in the entire session without a second thought. The foundation’s team is always glad to play an active role in outreach initiatives, and we look forward to expanding our programme to other parishes across the island,” said D&G Foundation Administrator Totlyn Brown Robb.

Currently hosting programmes in St Thomas, Montego Bay, Kingston, and St Elizabeth, the foundation aims to extend its reach to other parishes during the months ahead.