Originally from San Salvador, Mr Kenneth Jones is a 46 year old resident of Rock Sound, Eleuthera were he currently lives with his wife and their two daughters. Kenneth is enrolled in the Centre for Training and Innovation (CTI) Landscaping Learn and Earn Program. Before moving to Eleuthera, Kenneth was working as a plumber and pool attendant at Club Med in San Salvador.
When Kenneth first heard about One Eleuthera Foundation (OEF) and the new program they were introducing called, CTI, he knew it was something he would be really interested in,“I felt like I could develop myself by enrolling in CTI and I have been able to do just that.”
Kenneth says that, “I have been working with CTI from September 2015 and I really enjoy the program. I did plumbing in the early stages of CTI, but switched to landscaping and I enjoy landscaping and my instructor, Mr Alvin Young has taught me a lot of skills to help me make a living in this field.”
Some of Kenneth’s tasks in landscaping include operating the driving mower and making sure that the ground maintenance at CTI is excellent. Outside of his landscaping training, Kenneth has also performed well in the classroom. As expressed by Kenneth, before joining CTI he did not know how to use a computer. He eagerly boasted about his determination in learning how to use the computer. “At first, entering the computer classes I had no knowledge of computers but after the first three weeks of classes I gained some basic knowledge and now at the end of the semester I am able to use the computer and keyboard very well.”
Kenneth has also received good marks in both the numeracy and literacy courses at CTI and expressed his gratefulness for the empowerment course taught by Mr Collin Moss. He says, “In the empowerment course I have learnt leadership skills, so whenever I open my business I have learnt how to talk to employees and how to interact with both my clients and employees.” The CTI program allowed trainees to learn about basic finance from instructor, Mr Walter Carey, the current manager of One Eleuthera Cooperative Credit Union (OECCU). Kenneth spoke highly of the invaluable advice he has gotten on how to achieve his own business and financial goals. “Through the finance class, I was able to learn about budgeting and how to manage my funds better.”
Kenneth doesn’t want to stop there, he said he plans to advance himself even further and wants to take more programs that can assist him towards his goals of being a businessman. When asked about his specific goals after CTI, he said, “Since being enrolled in CTI I plan to be an entrepreneur and open my own landscaping and plumbing business.”
CTI’s impact on Kenneth is showing in the many ways he’s improved and his determination in all that he does. Kenneth says that after a year at CTI some of his best experiences has been the ability to meet new people, learn more about himself and get back into the classroom one more time. He says he has many goals for the future and wants to thank OEF and CTI for helping persons on the island like him to develop themselves.
