A feature story on three male Bermuda College graduates in Tuesday's paper omitted that Mr. Philip Harris and Mr. Michael Smith, both 18, graduated from Warwick Academy with eight G.C.E. `O' Levels and 12 `O' Levels, respectively.

They will be furthering their education at Canadian universities in September.

Bermuda's parents, employers and education system all play a key role -- for better or worse -- in youngsters' aspirations.

That is the opinion of three black Bermudian young men who each graduated with outstanding grades in their areas of studies last week.

Mr. Steffan Telford, Mr. Philip Harris and Mr. Michael Smith, all of whom are former Warwick Academy students, yesterday told The Royal Gazette they learned from their parents that education and determination would help them reach their goals.

And the trio, who were a part of the college's 1992 graduation class which saw 44 males out of some 200 students graduate, compared to 42 males last year, said the lesson needed to be stressed more at home, at school and in the work place.

The young men said they decided to further their education because they were focussing on long-term goals rather than seeking to make a "fast buck'' like some of their friends.

Both Mr. Harris and Mr. Smith, who graduated with distinctions, admitted they were partially attracted to the computer field by its money-making potential.

But they said their exposure to computers and encouragement from their parents to succeed spurred them on.

"I just did the best I could,'' said Mr. Smith who at 18 received a Diploma in Arts and Science. He urged students to "stay focussed and strive toward their goals''.

Mr. Harris, who graduated from the college with Diploma in Business Administration at age 18, said his grades were not "so good'' in high school.

But, he added, they improved in college because he took courses that he enjoyed.

Mr. Telford, who graduated with a Diploma in Hotel and Restaurant Management at age 20, echoed similar sentiments.

"I only got two GCEs,'' he said. "But I did a lot better in college because there was more freedom to express your opinion, instead of writing what the teacher expected you to write.'' He said Bermuda needed to get away from an elitist school system, where academics were stressed and vocational courses hardly taught.

"There is a general feeling in the high schools that business administration is the way to go,'' he said. "It (the education system) is more based on academics. There has to be some way of getting students not just interested in business, but more into hotel management, because you can always go into business if you do the hotel course.'' Mr. Telford, who hopes to become a hotel general manager, said it was his father who indirectly encouraged him to enter Bermuda's number one industry.

He said after years of watching his father, who enjoyed working his way up to the position of corporate director for Princess Hotels International's warehouses, he decided to enter the field.

"He actually tried to talk me out of it,'' Mr. Telford said. "He really wanted to make sure that it was something that I wanted to do because it's a lot of sacrifice.'' The youngster, who has been accepted at Boston University, has already given up hopes of becoming rich overnight.

"It is not something you get rich by doing,'' he said. "Money should not be a factor if you want to do hotel work.'' Mr. Telford said he would be happy just to land a summer job as a bartender or working in the sales area of one of the local hotels.

But he added:" Basically, right now I can't find a job. No one's willing to take a summer student in the hotels.

"There are places that have jobs. But I don't want to be limited as an on-call waiter as one property was willing to offer.'' He said when he completes his studies at Boston University and internships in the area, his return to Bermuda will not be a "question of whether I want to come back, but whether they want me''.

"Some properties do not want Bermudians,'' he said.

Mr. Telford said he knows of a Bermudian who returned to the Island with a masters in hotel management but was only offered a front desk job. He said the person was now working as a top manager in one of the hotels south of Bermuda.

"It's not up to Government to encourage Bermudians to go into the hospitality industry,'' he said. "It's up to the properties themselves to encourage Bermudianisation of their management.'' STRIVING TOWARD SUCCESS -- Bermuda College graduates, from left, Mr. Steffan Telford, Mr. Michael Smith and Mr. Philip Harris are preparing themselves for a bright future.