Civil servant graduates make the grade
Some of the civil servants who earned an associate’s degree (front row, L-R) Indrani Tahal, Dawn Evadne Ebanks, Cherry Whittaker, Hilary Cordeal-Christian and Mollyann Moore; (back row, L-R) Shawn Bazil, Diane Dey-Rankin, Winsome Prendergast, Sandra Robinson, Shamua Spencer and Barrington Hart
(CNS Local Life): A group of 31 government workers recently graduated from the Cayman Islands Civil Service College at a ceremony attended by family and friends at the University College of the Cayman Islands. Among the graduates, 22 earned honours or merit, achieving GPAs of 3.5 or 3.0 and above, respectively, as they attained career-relevant certificates and associate’s degrees in public administration.
In all, 16 civil servants gained certificates in public administration and 15 graduated from the more advanced associate’s degree programme. The curriculum for both courses included history and government of the Cayman Islands, ethics in government, elements of public administration, basic communications in the workplace and computer applications in government.
Deputy Governor Franz Manderson and the Chief Officer of the Portfolio of the Civil Service, Gloria McField-Nixon both congratulated the graduates, noting the numbers who had passed with honours in the associate’s degree and with merit in the certificate programme.
“The results of our civil service graduates are particularly impressive given that they all held full-time jobs while studying in the evenings,” McField-Nixon said.
“Embarking on career-oriented study, such as that offered to government employees, is undeniably challenging but can result in enormous benefits for both the employee and the employer.”
Some of those earning certificates (front row, L-R) Claire Fiedtkou, Jean Scott-Mais, Laurel McLaughlin, Evadne Ebanks (associate’s degree), Nina Bodden and Adrian Neblett; (back row, L-R) Joy Rankine, Bjorn Swann-Ebanks, Chief Officer Gloria McField-Nixon, Faith Bodden, Deputy Governor Franz Manderson, Stephen Atherley, Della Henry and Roy Bush
Evadne Ebanks, assistant registrar at the General Registry, earned the highest marks of all the students on the associate’s course. The West Bay resident’s 3.92 GPA meant that she was the class valedictorian.
A senior staffer in the section dealing with applications for companies, partnerships and trusts, Ebanks said she “jumped at the chance to enrol” in the course in 2012 to improve both personally and professionally.
“I knew attending the Civil Service College would be a challenge in balancing work, school, church and family responsibilities,” she added. “But I decided that with God’s help and the support of my managers, family, and friends I would take on this challenge.
“Long sleepless nights, early mornings before work and long weekends were all part of this sacrifice.”
She, as well as several of her cohort, cited having a support network as key to staying on track, especially when things got tough, particularly thanking her husband, Armando, “who would stay up with me all hours of the night while I studied or completed an assignment just so I wouldn’t be alone”.
The experience has given her “a far deeper appreciation of my job, and how it fits in with other aspects of government work and this has increased my job satisfaction and my competency”.
Ebanks said she found the course so rewarding that she has been encouraging other staff to enrol.
The deputy governor called the valedictorian’s work ethic an example to colleagues throughout the service.
“Her obvious dedication and hard work, balancing the rigours of academic life, working in a busy department while maintaining a comfortable home life and outside commitments is a tremendous achievement; and shows what can be done if one sets out to excel and takes the practical steps to do so,” Manderson said.
Civil servants interested in enrolling in professional courses can go to the CSC website
Category: Civil Service, Education
