Home Affairs Minister David Burch encouraged Bermudians to seek further education from accredited institutions if they want to succeed in the workforce.

His statements received loud applause at last week's Bermudians only meeting on the Government's policy of term limits.

During the meeting Minister Burch, who is in charge of the Departments of Labour and Immigration, said a quality education and hard work were important if Bermudians hoped to succeed.

He also announced that 10-year work permits would be available in the future.

And he said he believed education was the gap missing when it came to his Ministry and handing out work permits.

"I encourage Bermudians not to send their children to Mickey Mouse universities to get Mickey Mouse degrees because no one will employ them," he said to much applause.

"It is pointless doing that and then coming back and have the expectation that you can take that piece of paper and walk into a CEO job. There is a gap between the two, it is called work and effort.

"[The Ministry of Labour and Training] approach our responsibility now in a holistic way," he said. "Whilst we have responsibility for labour training and the National Training Board and look specifically at trades, from an immigration point of view it is important they talk to Immigration so they can direct where young Bermudians get trained.

"We have taken a critical look at where we are sending young Bermudians to be trained and if they are unaccredited we are not renewing agreements with universities and colleges that are not accredited and therefore do not have any currency.

"We are taking a firm line refocusing NTB on its mandate, we're going to poke into things all over the place, they need to focus on their mandate of certification."