First Lady encourages students to embrace fourth industrial revolution subjects

First Lady Sandra Granger handing over a gift to one of the students of Beterverwagting Secondary School, compliments of B and J Civil Works.

Georgetown: Beterverwagting Secondary School students were encouraged by First Lady Sandra Granger to embrace the opportunities of Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics, (STEM) programmes.

The First Lady told the students that they were living in the fourth industrial revolution where these subjects are vital tools.

She cautioned yesterday at a ‘Career Talk’ hosted by B and J Civil Works as part of its 25th-anniversary celebrations: “Robots will be doing 60 percent of the jobs in the near future and 70 percent of our jobs will require knowledge of computer science. I read a United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) report the other day that said 90 percent of the jobs done by women will become obsolete, so particularly for the young ladies in this group I would like to encourage you to start looking at STEM.”

The students were reminded that their future lies in their hands and they must be prepared to face challenges head-on. While stressing on the important role family and friends play in the life of an individual, she underscored that their destiny wholly starts and ends with what they want to do.

First Lady Granger told the students that they have to know when something is not in their favour “to sense it and be brave enough to swim against the tide because ultimately you are your future; you make your future and the bonds that you form in school and in your work environment are the ones that would help you, but at the same time you have to keep learning and learning all the time.”

B and J Civil Works was also congratulated for investing in young people and Guyana as a whole with their contribution to the school.

The use of STEM programmes and initiatives is rapidly increasing, led by First Lady Granger through a number of robotics workshops countrywide for students. Recent beneficiaries include young people in Linden, Region Ten and Region Seven.