Metal-X earns kudos for marriage between industry and education

“What we see here at Metal-X is a wonderful marriage between industry at the highest professional level and education where our young people receive training in skills which make them highly em- ployable,” said Gopee- Scoon, who made a familiarisation tour of the facilities at Metal- X, located at Biljah Road, Chaguanas, on Tuesday last.

Gopee-Scoon said she was heartened by the skills training platform designed by Metal-X through the Afif G Najjar Welding and Fabricating Institute which empowers young men and women to earn top-level employment or start their own businesses through training with accreditation meeting highest industry standards.

“You must be congratulated for nurturing so many young men and women at your institute and offering them a life-changing opportunity to be highly employable and lead rewarding lives.

That is an exceptional contribution to nation- building,” Gopee- Scoon told Metal-X Chairman and Managing Director, Labib Najjar.

The training institute was launched in 2012 through a unique partnership with YTEPP (Youth Training and Enterprise Partnership Programme) with students undergoing a comprehensive one-year training course in welding and structural fabricating under modern training facilities.

Successful graduates have gained employment at top-notch companies such as energy company BP Trinidad and Tobago (bpTT), the National Gas Company (NGC), as well as the UWI and Metal-X itself.

Gopee-Scoon also commended Najjar for playing a leadership role in the structural fabricating industry, with Metal-X completing high-profile projects in both the public and private sectors.