As the first student to graduate from the Technology Skills Centre Jahleel Richardson was all smiles as he showed off his newly acquired high school diploma.

The 17-year-old spoke with The Royal Gazette about being the first student to enrol in the new school, his hopes for the future and making his family proud. He joined the school last September after attending the Berkeley Institute and a short stint at a school in the UK.

According to Jahleel, he realised he needed to take a different route. When he heard about the Technology Skills Centre, a new school offering high school diplomas in technical studies, he said he saw an opportunity and jumped on it.

"The Technology Skills Centre offered a good mix of traditional classroom style learning and hands-on learning which appealed to me," said the recent graduate.

"I enrolled as the first student when the school opened and began studying computers and computer building. I took up computers because technology is the direction that the world is heading and it is something that will always be in demand. Everyone needs and depends on computers these days."

Michael Stowe opened the school last September, in the old Berkeley Institute building on Berkeley Road.

On top of technical studies and traditional classroom learning, the former executive officer of the National Training Board incorporated business etiquette into the curriculum.

"The school teaches students the fundamentals they need to be successful," Jahleel said. "Through the programme I have learnt about self-respect, built up my self-confidence and become much more focused. The Technology Skills Centre has helped light the path that I need to follow."

Jahleel said graduating has taught him the importance of hard work and dedication.

"It feels great to know that if you put the effort in, good things will happen," he said. "My hard work has paid off and I am ready to move on to bigger things. My family is very proud of me and they are ready to see more good things from me."

Now armed with his diploma, Jahleel plans to enrol at the Bermuda College next semester.

While he is not yet sure what he wants to major in, he said he wants to pursue an associate's degree in business administration. He said he feels like he has just been handed the baton in a relay race and needs to keep running. "I want to learn as much as possible and try as many things as I can you only live once," he said.