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WSJ Team In Japan

Your Passion as Skills

Not many people are blessed with the athletic skills of world record holder Asafa Powell. But web designer Marlon Maulsby, hairdresser Alia Wedderburn, software application designer Orane Johnson and Jamaican cook Brian Lumley, are useful examples of how to create opportunities from personal talents, or what is usually one's passion. They are also outstanding role models for young people.

Hardly anyone knew these four before they represented Jamaica at the International WorldSkills competition in Shizuoka, Japan last month. They competed against 850 youths from 50 different states in the bi-annual event that offers participants a chance to gain first hand knowledge of skills on an international level .The participants also have an opportunity to be mentored by a WorldSkills endorsed employer for 6 -18 months in another member country.

The four who represented Jamaica are today recognized as ambassadors for the country having showed the world how rich we are in human resources. WorldSkills Jamaica will now use their well-earned experience in motivational seminars for those who will be trained to participate when the next competition is held in Calgary, Canada in 2009.

WorldSkills Jamaica holds an annual National Skills Competition to choose the best participants for the international event. The national event will take place April 21 to 25, 2008.

Jamaica's participation in Japan was its second since joining the world body in 2004 as its first Caribbean member. None of the participants won medals, but Maulsby won the Best of Nation award for Jamaica and got a chance to meet the Crown Prince of Japan . Maulsby is now working part time as a professional web developer and begins a degree programme at HEART's Vocational Training Development Institute in January 2008.

The other three are also moving their careers forward. Wedderburn will complete her training as an instructor at VTDI next year. Johnson begins a degree progamme at VTDI in January, while Lumley will soon enter the Culinary Institute of America, a programme run at the Runaway Bay Heart Academy.

Although the four weren't able to bring back medals, Grace McLean, Technical Delegate of WorldSkills Jamaica says their experience is invaluable in helping to raise skills standards in Jamaica. "They flew the flag high," she says.