At the Proman Foundation Power of Partnerships event on Wednesday night at the Proman Starlift House of Music in Woodbrook, a young entrepreneur took centre stage.
The event featured entertainment by the Proman Starlift Steel Orchestra and celebrated not only the success of the Prince’s Trust International (PTI) Achieve Programme but also Adrian Whiteman, who was awarded the 2023 Prince’s Trust Young Achiever Award for the Caribbean.
Proman's executive director and foundation chairman Claus Cronberger, spoke of the significance of the event.
He said, in a rapidly changing world, it was crucial to unite in support of young people striving to build their own futures.
Cronberger said the foundation's partnership model ensured more young people had access to tailor-made initiatives through local organisations embedded in their communities or with direct access to youth.
"The programme supports young people in traditional and non-traditional education environments to build their personal development skills and/or re-engage in their educational accreditation journey."
The international programmes manager for PTI Siddel Ramkissoon, presented the award toWhiteman, a graduate of the Achieve Programme.
Ramkisson said since the foundation's inception in October 2022, over $3.8 million in funding had been disbursed to organisations that aligned with the foundation’s core corporate social responsibility pillars.
“This investment has enabled the delivery of high-impact sustainable programmes to over 7,200 beneficiaries in more than 60 communities nationally, supported by the contribution of over 600 volunteer hours from Proman employees.”
Whiteman expressed his gratitude during the event.
Speaking with Newsday, the 25-year-old Whiteman said he enrolled in the Youth Training and Employment Partnership Programme (YTEPP) barbering programmeme, and through YTEPP's partnership with the PTI Achieve programmeme, he was selected.
"They (PTI) did a programme called the Yacht Programme, teaching us about basic life skills, teaching us how to become good entrepreneurs and how to be better people, how to deal with people, how to be a better businessman – this type of stuff.
"This is the first time I'm really winning something, and the words can't really express everything that I'm feeling right now. I'm trying to hold it together, and I'm very grateful for this opportunity.”
Whiteman plans to expand his barbering business and knowledge, and offered advice to young people.
"Keep on following your goals and your dreams. Don't let the negativity that we face daily affect your daily life."
Founded in 1984 as a company specialising in the construction of large industrial projects, Proman has evolved into a multi-asset, multi-regional diversified energy producer with a focus on methanol and fertiliser production.
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