The National Training Board has announced the progress of participants in its Technical/Vocational Training Programme.

NTB executive director Michael Stowe commended NTB Technical Vocational ET Award recipients Kenneth and Tyrone Butterfield and Derreck Bean earlier this month.

The men are three of more than 211 Bermudians who have successfully participated in the TVET Award programme.

Brothers Kenneth and Tyrone attended Drake State Technical College with the assistance of the TVET award graduating with Associates Degrees in Industrial Electrical Technology.

Kenneth also went on to complete three courses at The Motorola Training Facility in Chicago and is currently employed as a senior telecommunications engineer with Telecom.

Kenneth intends to pursue a Bachelor's degree in Communications Engineering at the New England Institute of Technology.

Tyrone works as a security systems installer at the Bermuda Security Group.

With the assistance of the TVET award, Mr. Bean was able to pursue his studies in Construction Technology. He is due to graduate in May 2003.

Mr. Bean currently works as a summer student at Greymane Construction Ltd.

"I am very fortunate to have had such an opportunity. Without the TVET Award I would still be in the whirlwind when I was guessing what was next in my life," Mr. Bean said.

He continued: "I encourage all Bermudians to go abroad to gain the experiences they need to create a better Bermuda."

President of the Construction Association and chairman of NTB's Occupation Advisory Committee for Construction said: "We fully support Derreck. He has done extremely well in his studies.

"The impact of someone completing the programme and working in Bermuda is very beneficial to the industry because many Bermudians are not studying construction technology and this industry is definitely going to be in demand for students such as Derreck in the future."