Giving inmates the chance to develop skills enabling them to either own their own business or be a productive employee is a goal of Thermax Bermuda -- a company that focuses on carpet cleaning and asthma relief products.

President of Thermax Bermuda, Jenefer Brimmer, said the entrepreneur opportunities programme/carpet cleaning, which she developed and teaches inmates, will hopefully help to take away the stigma surrounding black men in this community.

In fact today, five inmates from the Westgate Correctional Facility, will graduate from the three-month programme knowing the skills it takes to dress for success, how to go about getting a job and presenting themselves and having the mind-set to change their life around.

"Our company realises that there is so many negative things said about young black males around Bermuda such as they don't want to work, and they have no skills and we (the business) asked ourselves, what can we do, in a small way to contribute to changing that perception in the community,'' Ms Brimmer said.

She added: "We got this idea two years ago and it has taken us this long to be able to put this programme in place. We were also, during that time, trying to get the prisons to purchase the steam cleaning equipment needed, which they did.

"By doing so the agreement was that we would go in and teach inmates the skills on carpet and upholstery cleaning. Once the prison facility made the commitment to buy that equipment our commitment was to train the young men.

"Their are five of them and they are so ecstatic. There is so much pride in them, commitment and dedication from them. It's unbelievable.'' Ms Brimmer said the programme, which is a pilot programme, is designed for applicants at entry level who are seeking a rewarding career in the cleaning service industry.

"This programme has the support of the Ministry of Immigration and Labour, Training Office and the Social Assistance department and seeks to encourage the Bermudianisation of the industry and provide opportunities for ex-offenders and able-bodied persons to seek employment or become self-employed.'' Ms Brimmer added that the Government Labour and Training departments are now looking at the prospect of this programme being offered to able-bodied persons -- mostly black males -- who don't have the skills or who want the opportunity to learn what it takes to own and operate a business.

"After the inmates are out of prison we will also help them to get employment, that is all part of the programme. If they come out having these skills they can't say they cannot do anything because now they are trained.

"If they didn't have skills they now have them to either work for themselves or work for someone else.'' Ms Brimmer added: "The whole idea of this programme is to take away the negative feelings about these young men who people think are worth nothing -- that is absolutely wrong.

"These men are very intelligent, and they just want an opportunity for someone to believe in them, encourage them, and give them the opportunity to seek employment.'' Ms Brimmer said this programme is very different from the others offered at the prisons because it shows inmates the commitment it takes to have your own business, and the commitment an employer would expect from the employee so they are getting it from both angles.

"We teach them things like self empowerment which enables them to look at how they feel about themselves and how they want the community to feel about them amongst other things.

"We also teach them things like social skills and team building, goal setting, personal hygiene and dressing for success, customer relations, advertising and promotion, product knowledge and the dangers of our indoor environment, business etiquette and several other things.'' She added that the students also learn through role playing, site visits and job shadowing.

"Now the Prison Services carpets are being cleaned by these inmates which help Government to save money. They have a little business going on in the facility.'' Mrs. Brimmer added that the criteria for taking the course is that you can only miss two classes and if any more are missed the inmate will not be able to graduate.

"Today there will be a little prize giving and the inmates will receive certificates from the company. Those graduating will also become mentors for the next set of students starting the course in September.'' Vocational coordinator of the prisons Terry Greene said this course helped to develop the inmates' self-esteem, confidence and their social skills because they had to work together.

"Our aim is to make them self-reliant and provide them with the necessary survival skills in the local job market. We are also training them to make economical contributions towards the Country.'' One inmate said he never thought of building his own business until taking this course and "I would like to thank Ms Brimmer, she was very understanding and dedicated to us.'' Another inmate said: "When I first started this course my self-esteem was very low but now things have changed especially my thoughts about the future.

I just hope someone will give me a chance when I get out.'' LEARNING SKILLS -- These inmates from the West End Correctional Facility are the first graduates from the entrepreneur opportunities programme set up and taught at the prison by president of Thermax Bermuda Ms Jenefer Brimmer (kneeling). Picture with the vacuum is Antoine Tuzo, (back) vocational coordinator Terry Greene, Kahmel Trott, Heman Viera, Conroy Francis, works officer Brent Minor and Warren Vincent.