PM Davis tells Upskill Graduates, “The world is changing at a pace much faster than any of us have ever seen".... C
Archived: 2026-04-23 17:10
PM Davis tells Upskill Graduates, “The world is changing at a pace much faster than any of us have ever seen".... C
Accessibility Tool
Content Adjustments
Adjust Font Size
-
Default
+
Highlight Links
Letter Spacing
Dyslexia Font
Color Adjustments
Monochrome
Tools
Mute/unmute
Big Cursor
Reading Guide
Back
Home
News and Press Release
Type:
Press Release
, Featured Story
16 Apr 2026
By:
Eric Rose
Source:
Bahamas Information Services
PM Davis tells Upskill Graduates, “The world is changing at a pace much faster than any of us have ever seen".... Changes that present opportunity "if we are prepared"
PHOTO CAPTION
Prime Minister and Minister of Finance the Hon. Philip Davis takes part in the Upskill Bahamas Graduation Ceremony, April 13, 2026, at Baha Mar Convention Centre. More than 1,000 Bahamians graduated from the programme. Also among those present was Minister of Education and Technical & Vocational Training the Hon. Glenys Hanna-Martin.
(BIS Photos/Kristaan Ingraham. Drone Photography Courtesy of Eric Rose)
NASSAU, The Bahamas — During his Official Remarks at the Upskill Bahamas Graduation Ceremony, on April 13, 2026, Prime Minister and Minister of Finance the Hon. Philip Davis stated that he was “very proud” of all the more than 1000 graduates who completed their programmes, but he was not surprised.
“I know that Bahamian talent is the engine that will drive the next phase of our country’s development,” Prime Minister Davis said at the ceremony held at Baha Mar Convention Centre.
Also among those present was Minister of Education and Technical and Vocational Training the Hon. Glenys Hanna-Martin.
Prime Minister Davis noted that when his Government launched Upskill Bahamas, he talked about what he called the “possibility gap.” He described it as “the gap between what your skills allow you to do, and what you dream of doing”.
“Too many of our people have lived inside that gap for too long,” Prime Minister Davis said. “You have the talent, you have the drive; but something is missing -- a qualification, a skill, access to the right training. Sometimes the most important thing that’s missing is the confidence you can learn and master something new.”
He added: “Well, let me tell you something: Every one of you, every graduate here today, decided to build a bridge across that gap. Some of you studied during lunch breaks. Some of you studied after your children went to bed. Some of you studied on your phones, outside, because your best access to a Wi-Fi signal is one we made available in a park.”
Prime Minister Davis stated that he knew that it was not easy.
“I know it took a lot of determination – perhaps even more than you’d imagined when you first signed up,” he said. “But you did it anyway.”
He added: “So let me ask something of you – and I’m asking all of you, not just our graduates, but the friends and family here to celebrate you today – who appear to be nearly as proud of you as I am. I want to ask all of you to help me spread the word about Upskill.”
Prime Minister Davis pointed out that his belief that Upskill was only going to get bigger and more ambitious.
He said: “Here’s how it’s going to work: we’re going to change what you’re capable of, and your new skills and expertise are going to change the country – and change what we can build and invent and create, right here at home. In order to do this big thing – in order to change our economy, we have a challenge – which is to change how people think about education.”
Prime Minister Davis added: “We can’t treat education as something that happens when you are young and then it just ends. You go to school, some go to college, or even a little further; but not most of us. In any case, after those experiences, then people consider your education to be done. You’re supposed to know everything you need to know.”
He pointed out that that was “never true, and it is certainly not true now”.
Prime Minister Davis said: “The world is changing at a pace much faster than any of us have ever seen. Artificial intelligence is transforming industries. The energy transition is creating entire new fields. The way we do business, the way we communicate, the way we build and create and compete – all of it is changing.”
He added: “Some of these changes represent real risks. We can’t pretend otherwise. A lot of professional worlds will be turned upside down. Some jobs will change, and some jobs will disappear. Entire sectors will look different – not in the distant future, but in a few years. The risks are real.”
Prime Minister Davis said that those changes also represented extraordinary opportunity “if we are prepared”.
“That’s why we are going to expand Upskill Bahamas, so that it is central to our national development plans,” he pointed out. “Education and training in this country will no longer be treated as something exclusively for your childhood or teenage years, or your early twenties.”
“We are building a Bahamas where learning is truly a lifelong pursuit – supported by your government, connected to real opportunities, and available to every Bahamian, at every stage of life,” Prime Minister Davis added.
He noted that in his Government’s first term, the work was to create and improve different pathways to success.
Prime Minister Davis said: “Upskill. The National Youth Guard. Technical and financing support for entrepreneurs. DigiLearn. Expanded scholarships and vocational training. Record enrollment in BAMSI. Expanding BTVI. The PHA Academy for careers in health care. Paid apprenticeships, in high-demand sectors. New opportunities in marine engineering, renewable energy, cybersecurity, and so much more.
“Now, the work is to make sure these pathways are not islands unto themselves.”
He added that his Government must connect them.
“We must make them part of an efficient and holistic ecosystem – so that training and certifications and skills are connected, and certificates are recognised by employers, where skills lead to jobs and jobs lead to careers and careers lead to Bahamian ownership of our economy,” Prime Minister Davis said.
He added: “That’s our economic strategy. Because here is the truth: if we have a skilled workforce, we will attract and build the kinds of investments and industries that will transform this country. We can build a technology sector. We can lead in the blue and green economies. We can develop more world-class capacity in financial services, in construction, in renewable energy, in creative industries.”
Prime Minister Davis stated that he knew that his Government can build a new kind of economy in The Bahamas because “Bahamians are ready to step up”.
“You are the proof of concept,” he said to the graduates, who ranged in age from 16-67. “You are the evidence that when Bahamians are given the tools, they do the work.”
Prime Minister pointed out that all Bahamians needed to keep learning.
“Every one of us,” he said. “The days when you could learn one trade, master one skill, and ride it all the way to the end of your work life – those days are passing.”
Prime Minister Davis added: “The world will keep changing. And we have a choice: we can be overwhelmed by the change, or we can meet it with the same resilience and ingenuity that Bahamians have always shown.”
He then shared anecdotes from his own past.
“I know what it’s like to start up a ladder and see a few rungs missing,” Prime Minister Davis said. “I know what it’s like to feel you don’t know the right things, or the right people, to worry you’re missing something others have.
“My mission – our shared mission – is to make sure that Bahamians never, ever stop there; that we are there for our brothers and sisters, at that precise moment when our encouragement and support can be the difference between a dream realized instead of deferred.”
To the graduates, Prime Minister Davis said that they had done “something remarkable”.
“You have invested in yourselves, and in so doing, you have invested in your country,” he stated. “To the many thousands of Bahamians enrolled in Upskill and studying: keep going. We are behind you.”
Prime Minister added: “And to every Bahamian thinking about signing up, wondering if it’s too late, wondering if it’s worth it, wondering if they can really do this – I want you to look at the people in this room. They are the answer. It is not too late. It is worth it. And yes, you can do this.”
“We are building a twenty-first century Bahamas – one with more pathways, more ladders, more opportunities, and more Bahamians ready to seize them,” he continued. “The world will keep changing; but so will we – with confidence, and without leaving anyone behind.
“May God bless you all,” Prime Minister Davis added. “And may God continue to bless the Commonwealth of The Bahamas.”
Previous
Next
Featured Story
MYSC hosts the opening of Frank 'Pancho' Rahming All-Schools Track and Field Championships
Press Release
Prime Minister Davis Lauds the Royal Bahamas Defence Force at Security Council Divisions 2026
Quick Useful Links
The National Honours Society 2026 Call for Nominations
Budget Performance Reports
Budget Documents
Preparing Your Home and Family for a Hurricane
General Orders
Request for Expression of Interest
Hurricane Shelter Listing 2025
Install the BNEA APP
COVID-19 Frequent Asked Questions
Department of Labour’s Jobseekers Portal
Celebrate Bahamas
Load More
For Website Technical Support
Call and speak to a DICT Customer service agent.
+1 242 604 4688
Need to reach the DICT? Send us an email.
support@bahamas.gov.bs
Get in touch with our DICT support team.
get in touch
Explore frequently asked questions.
ask question
This site uses cookies to serve our services. By using our site, you acknowledge that you have read and understand our Cookie Policy and Privacy Policy.
Okay, Thanks
Accessibility Tool
Content Adjustments
Adjust Font Size
-
Default
+
Highlight Links
Letter Spacing
Dyslexia Font
Color Adjustments
Monochrome
Tools
Mute/unmute
Big Cursor
Reading Guide
Back
Home
News and Press Release
Type:
Press Release
, Featured Story
16 Apr 2026
By:
Eric Rose
Source:
Bahamas Information Services
PM Davis tells Upskill Graduates, “The world is changing at a pace much faster than any of us have ever seen".... Changes that present opportunity "if we are prepared"
PHOTO CAPTION
Prime Minister and Minister of Finance the Hon. Philip Davis takes part in the Upskill Bahamas Graduation Ceremony, April 13, 2026, at Baha Mar Convention Centre. More than 1,000 Bahamians graduated from the programme. Also among those present was Minister of Education and Technical & Vocational Training the Hon. Glenys Hanna-Martin.
(BIS Photos/Kristaan Ingraham. Drone Photography Courtesy of Eric Rose)
NASSAU, The Bahamas — During his Official Remarks at the Upskill Bahamas Graduation Ceremony, on April 13, 2026, Prime Minister and Minister of Finance the Hon. Philip Davis stated that he was “very proud” of all the more than 1000 graduates who completed their programmes, but he was not surprised.
“I know that Bahamian talent is the engine that will drive the next phase of our country’s development,” Prime Minister Davis said at the ceremony held at Baha Mar Convention Centre.
Also among those present was Minister of Education and Technical and Vocational Training the Hon. Glenys Hanna-Martin.
Prime Minister Davis noted that when his Government launched Upskill Bahamas, he talked about what he called the “possibility gap.” He described it as “the gap between what your skills allow you to do, and what you dream of doing”.
“Too many of our people have lived inside that gap for too long,” Prime Minister Davis said. “You have the talent, you have the drive; but something is missing -- a qualification, a skill, access to the right training. Sometimes the most important thing that’s missing is the confidence you can learn and master something new.”
He added: “Well, let me tell you something: Every one of you, every graduate here today, decided to build a bridge across that gap. Some of you studied during lunch breaks. Some of you studied after your children went to bed. Some of you studied on your phones, outside, because your best access to a Wi-Fi signal is one we made available in a park.”
Prime Minister Davis stated that he knew that it was not easy.
“I know it took a lot of determination – perhaps even more than you’d imagined when you first signed up,” he said. “But you did it anyway.”
He added: “So let me ask something of you – and I’m asking all of you, not just our graduates, but the friends and family here to celebrate you today – who appear to be nearly as proud of you as I am. I want to ask all of you to help me spread the word about Upskill.”
Prime Minister Davis pointed out that his belief that Upskill was only going to get bigger and more ambitious.
He said: “Here’s how it’s going to work: we’re going to change what you’re capable of, and your new skills and expertise are going to change the country – and change what we can build and invent and create, right here at home. In order to do this big thing – in order to change our economy, we have a challenge – which is to change how people think about education.”
Prime Minister Davis added: “We can’t treat education as something that happens when you are young and then it just ends. You go to school, some go to college, or even a little further; but not most of us. In any case, after those experiences, then people consider your education to be done. You’re supposed to know everything you need to know.”
He pointed out that that was “never true, and it is certainly not true now”.
Prime Minister Davis said: “The world is changing at a pace much faster than any of us have ever seen. Artificial intelligence is transforming industries. The energy transition is creating entire new fields. The way we do business, the way we communicate, the way we build and create and compete – all of it is changing.”
He added: “Some of these changes represent real risks. We can’t pretend otherwise. A lot of professional worlds will be turned upside down. Some jobs will change, and some jobs will disappear. Entire sectors will look different – not in the distant future, but in a few years. The risks are real.”
Prime Minister Davis said that those changes also represented extraordinary opportunity “if we are prepared”.
“That’s why we are going to expand Upskill Bahamas, so that it is central to our national development plans,” he pointed out. “Education and training in this country will no longer be treated as something exclusively for your childhood or teenage years, or your early twenties.”
“We are building a Bahamas where learning is truly a lifelong pursuit – supported by your government, connected to real opportunities, and available to every Bahamian, at every stage of life,” Prime Minister Davis added.
He noted that in his Government’s first term, the work was to create and improve different pathways to success.
Prime Minister Davis said: “Upskill. The National Youth Guard. Technical and financing support for entrepreneurs. DigiLearn. Expanded scholarships and vocational training. Record enrollment in BAMSI. Expanding BTVI. The PHA Academy for careers in health care. Paid apprenticeships, in high-demand sectors. New opportunities in marine engineering, renewable energy, cybersecurity, and so much more.
“Now, the work is to make sure these pathways are not islands unto themselves.”
He added that his Government must connect them.
“We must make them part of an efficient and holistic ecosystem – so that training and certifications and skills are connected, and certificates are recognised by employers, where skills lead to jobs and jobs lead to careers and careers lead to Bahamian ownership of our economy,” Prime Minister Davis said.
He added: “That’s our economic strategy. Because here is the truth: if we have a skilled workforce, we will attract and build the kinds of investments and industries that will transform this country. We can build a technology sector. We can lead in the blue and green economies. We can develop more world-class capacity in financial services, in construction, in renewable energy, in creative industries.”
Prime Minister Davis stated that he knew that his Government can build a new kind of economy in The Bahamas because “Bahamians are ready to step up”.
“You are the proof of concept,” he said to the graduates, who ranged in age from 16-67. “You are the evidence that when Bahamians are given the tools, they do the work.”
Prime Minister pointed out that all Bahamians needed to keep learning.
“Every one of us,” he said. “The days when you could learn one trade, master one skill, and ride it all the way to the end of your work life – those days are passing.”
Prime Minister Davis added: “The world will keep changing. And we have a choice: we can be overwhelmed by the change, or we can meet it with the same resilience and ingenuity that Bahamians have always shown.”
He then shared anecdotes from his own past.
“I know what it’s like to start up a ladder and see a few rungs missing,” Prime Minister Davis said. “I know what it’s like to feel you don’t know the right things, or the right people, to worry you’re missing something others have.
“My mission – our shared mission – is to make sure that Bahamians never, ever stop there; that we are there for our brothers and sisters, at that precise moment when our encouragement and support can be the difference between a dream realized instead of deferred.”
To the graduates, Prime Minister Davis said that they had done “something remarkable”.
“You have invested in yourselves, and in so doing, you have invested in your country,” he stated. “To the many thousands of Bahamians enrolled in Upskill and studying: keep going. We are behind you.”
Prime Minister added: “And to every Bahamian thinking about signing up, wondering if it’s too late, wondering if it’s worth it, wondering if they can really do this – I want you to look at the people in this room. They are the answer. It is not too late. It is worth it. And yes, you can do this.”
“We are building a twenty-first century Bahamas – one with more pathways, more ladders, more opportunities, and more Bahamians ready to seize them,” he continued. “The world will keep changing; but so will we – with confidence, and without leaving anyone behind.
“May God bless you all,” Prime Minister Davis added. “And may God continue to bless the Commonwealth of The Bahamas.”
Previous
Next
Featured Story
MYSC hosts the opening of Frank 'Pancho' Rahming All-Schools Track and Field Championships
Press Release
Prime Minister Davis Lauds the Royal Bahamas Defence Force at Security Council Divisions 2026
Quick Useful Links
The National Honours Society 2026 Call for Nominations
Budget Performance Reports
Budget Documents
Preparing Your Home and Family for a Hurricane
General Orders
Request for Expression of Interest
Hurricane Shelter Listing 2025
Install the BNEA APP
COVID-19 Frequent Asked Questions
Department of Labour’s Jobseekers Portal
Celebrate Bahamas
Load More
For Website Technical Support
Call and speak to a DICT Customer service agent.
+1 242 604 4688
Need to reach the DICT? Send us an email.
support@bahamas.gov.bs
Get in touch with our DICT support team.
get in touch
Explore frequently asked questions.
ask question
This site uses cookies to serve our services. By using our site, you acknowledge that you have read and understand our Cookie Policy and Privacy Policy.
Okay, Thanks