31 PEP awardees encouraged to ‘own’ Manpower & Maintenance Services Ltd Group

Thirty-one students, the children of employees of Manpower & Maintenance Services Limited Group (MMS), who completed the Primary Exit Profile (PEP) examinations held earlier this year, were recently encouraged by chairman of MMS, M. Audrey Stewart-Hinchcliffe to “own the company”, as she addressed them at the organisation’s annual back-to-school awards ceremony in which students entering high school for the first time were presented with gift packages to help them to make the transition easier.

Speaking primarily to the girls in the group, Stewart-Hinchcliffe told them that, on completion of their education, they are to “come back to work with Manpower but in higher positions than your parents now occupy”.

She also reminded them that help is available through M’Power Women’s Group, which was established to uplift women “through work and education”.

Now in its 25th year, the annual back-to-school awards ceremony was held at the company’s headquarters in St Andrew where the students and their parents were also congratulated on their achievement by MMS CEO Don Gittens, reminded the students that they are the future leaders and must “do yourselves, your parents and the company proud” as they embark on this new phase of their academic career.

“I am pleased that Manpower has been able to maintain this tradition for 25 years. I believe that this speaks volumes about our commitment, the esteem in which we hold our team members, and the hope that we have for the positive development of their children,” Gittens said. “We are pleased with their achievement and wish for them every success in high school.”

Also addressing the students, Dane Spencer, guest speaker and managing director of Smart Mobile Solutions, told them that they now “have unmatched opportunity in a technology driven world”.

Relating his personal experiences of failure and success, he told them that, “failure is a teacher”, and reminded them to be focused, stick to what they are doing and “keep pushing forward”.

Now attending Jamaica College, Matthew-John Duncan, son of senior director of operations at MMS, Michael Duncan, along with St Andrew High School for Girls freshman Armani Stewart, the daughter of MMS’ legal counsel Shamelia Young, are the two top achievers among the students.

Commenting on the awards ceremony, Michael Duncan said, “I have been employed to Manpower for five years and when I first heard about the initiative, I was really impressed that the company actually has a programme to reward the children of employees who have completed the PEP examinations. I am elated that my son is a recipient and over the hill also that he is a top-achiever. His mother played a major part in his success.”

His son is pleased and proud to be attending “my father’s school”.

TAKING CARE OF FAMILY

According to Shamelia Young, “It is awesome that MMS has implemented this awards programme. I have been with the company for less than a year, but I was very impressed when I joined to discover that Manpower is a family business that actually takes care of the family.”

Since its inception, hundreds of students have benefited from the annual MMS back-to-school awards programme. It is eagerly anticipated by both parents and their children who welcome the assistance, as together they make the move to high school.

A flagship programme of the Manpower & Maintenance Services Foundation (MMSF), the back-to-school awards is the brainchild of Stewart-Hinchcliffe and was presented this year in partnership with Guardian Group, FLOW, First Heritage Credit Union, Kremi, Lasco, E-Learning Jamaica, M’Power Women’s Group and Smart Mobile Solutions. The students received gift certificates, tablets, mobile phones, other supplies and cash awards from MMSF.

The MMSF is a community outreach initiative that promotes effective corporate social responsibility through projects that focus especially on health, education, and sport.