The Department of Workforce Development (DWD) recently held a ceremony to recognise members of its Career Development and Training teams who completed a series of professional development programmes.
The programmes completed earlier this year included the Global Career Development Facilitator (GCDF) Programme, the Level 3 IVQ Certificate in Teaching, Training and Assessing Learning – Assessing Competence, and Advanced Generative AI.
The staff members recognised and their respective professional development achievements were as follows:
- Advanced Generative AI: Dallanika Chase
- Level 3 IVQ Certificate in Teaching, Training and Assessing Learning – Assessing Competence: Dallanika Chase, Derreck Bean, Jason Butterfield, Stephen Lewis and Troy Thomas
- Global Career Development Facilitator (GCDF) Programme: Jeanene Warner, Collice Morris, Tarik Bean-Darrell, Bryan Paschal and Zakai McIntosh
This professional development aligns with Strategic Priority 5 – Investing in People of Bermuda’s Economic Development Strategy 2023–2027. The programmes strengthened staff’s skills and capabilities, enhancing the Department’s ability to provide career guidance, assess competence with rigour and consistency, and use emerging technologies responsibly and effectively to serve the public.
The Minister of Economy and Labour, the Hon. Jason Hayward, JP, MP, congratulating the staff and highlighting the importance of investing in people and supporting Bermuda’s workforce, stated, “Our Department of Workforce Development spends every day preparing others for opportunity. A Department that asks Bermudians to keep learning must also lead by example, and I commend this team for doing exactly that. The skills our officers have gained, from career development facilitation and competency assessment to the responsible use of generative artificial intelligence, will translate into stronger services for the people of Bermuda. When we invest in those who serve the public, the public benefits.”
Minister Hayward also thanked the Department’s management for prioritising staff development alongside its operational responsibilities and acknowledged the commitment of the officers who balanced their studies with their existing workloads.
Mrs Sonya M. Clarke, Acting Director of Workforce Development, said the professional development reflected the same commitment to growth that the Department encourages among its clients, stating, “We ask every client who comes through our doors to commit to their own growth. I am proud that our Career Development and Training teams have embraced that same commitment themselves. These programmes equip our officers to offer guidance that meets international standards, to assess competence with rigour and fairness, and to work more effectively with modern tools. Our clients, our employer partners and our trainees will all benefit from the knowledge and skills our officers have gained.”
The ceremony provided an opportunity to recognise the dedication of the Department’s staff and highlight the Government’s continued investment in developing the skills and capabilities needed to support a skilled, resilient, and future-ready workforce.
