Minister of Labour, Home Affairs and Public Safety Randy Horton yesterday commended Government?s summer students for a job well done, saying they are part of Bermuda?s ?success story?.

And he called on them to dispel negative perceptions about the Island?s young people.

Mr. Horton, hosted a reception for the students who participated in the Government?s summer employment programme at Number One Shed, encouraged the students to pursue their education in order to be the leaders of tomorrow.

?If Bermuda is to sustain its economy in the 21st Century and beyond, young Bermudians like you, our leaders and innovators of tomorrow, must be equipped with state of the art, hi-tech skills.

?And you must have access to the tools and educational programmes that you need in order to develop these skills to the maximum, thereby applying your creative talents and honing your skills,? he said.

Mr. Horton shared what he called ?worrying statistics? with the students to encourage them to continue to advance in their careers.

He said Bermudians held 73 percent of filled jobs in the workforce but only have 63 percent of professional and technical jobs.

Thirty-six percent of the individuals in the workforce between the ages of 20 and 44 are Bermudian while 57.5 percent are not.

Just over 28 percent of Bermudians have no formal qualifications, and only 14.5 percent have a bachelor?s degree or better in comparison to almost 40 percent of non Bermudians.

?You are part of Bermuda?s success story yet on a daily basis we read and hear about the negativism associated with young people,? he said. ?We read about shocking and altogether unacceptable violence and other forms of lawlessness exhibited by young people,? warned Mr. Horton.

Referring to the recent murder of teenager Jason Lightbourne he said: ?While we all recoiled in horror at that tragedy, we can only hope that important lessons have been learned. All of you gathered here today are testaments that Bermuda is in good hands.

?As you return to your various fields of study, determine to be part of Bermuda?s success story.?