Works Minister Derrick Burgess hopes young teenagers can be sent on day release from school to learn trades which will help them build careers.

Mr. Burgess says too many school leavers end up unemployed because they don't have the necessary skills to get jobs such as painters, masons and carpenters.

He says a day release apprentice scheme could ultimately change a culture where such trades are deemed less worthy than professions like lawyers and doctors.

The Hamilton East MP, speaking to The Royal Gazette as part of our Up Your Street series, said he has seen unemployment grow in his constituency like the rest of the Island over the years.

"I think that with the absence of a type of skill like we had back in the 50s, 60s and 70s, things have changed," he said.

"When you are young, all you could hear from the older folk was, 'Get a trade boy'. Carpenter, plumber, electrician. We didn't mind going to work as an apprentice.

"They have more choices today than when I was looking — there was only certain jobs you could get because of the history. Today that's opened up, thank God for that.

"Sometimes I get the impression that some people may think that becoming a plumber or mason or whatever is a second-class job, and I hope I'm wrong. Some people say, 'My son's a doctor or lawyer', before they say 'My son's a plumber'.

"Today some young people don't want to work as apprentices. But I think we should be starting apprentices at 13 or 14, on day release."

As well as a lack of jobs, some young people in Hamilton East complained to this newspaper about a lack of things to do.

"It's boring," one man said. "There just needs to be more stuff to do. All we can do is sit on the wall."

Some argue wall sitters can be intimidating to residents, but Mr. Burgess reflected: "Sitting on the wall is not bad. I done it as a child. In fact, during my day sitting on a wall you got a job."

The Minister explained that construction firms and hotels used to know one of the easiest ways of recruiting staff was to visit a wall where many men would be sitting idle.

But he continued: "I guess the difference then and now was that when we sat on the wall we respected our elders. If 'Miss So and So' walks by, if you were doing something wrong, her presence made you stop.

"We were there as the protector of the older folks. In those days older folks had no worries about walking home from church at night because we sat on the wall. These days, sitting on the wall is intimidating to some."

On the matter of things to do, Mr. Burgess said he is also keen to set up night cricket at Bailey's Bay in the summer, to give young people the chance to play and create a regular evening out for families.

Other issues in Hamilton East in recent years include complaints of anti-social behaviour and noise in Sleepy Hollow around four years ago, said to be caused by people from outside the area.

Mr. Burgess said this was successfully solved after residents decided to "take back their area", formed a neighbourhood watch and asked the local Police constable to speak to the problem youths.

"He approached them and said the residents just want them to respect the area, the houses and the homes. They did that. I haven't heard anything since," said Mr. Burgess.

"I think if neighbours in all areas came together like that, if they are prepared not to let people take over their neighbourhood, we would see respect for these neighbourhoods."

Other issues in Hamilton East mentioned to this newspaper include garbage at Cottage Hill; Mr. Burgess says he has organised trash pickups in that spot.

Next week's Up Your Street visits Pembroke East. Residents of that constituency who want to talk about local issues should e-mail tsmith@royalgazette.bm.