Deputy Premier Derrick Burgess was roundly praised for his summer student training initiative yesterday as MPs from all sides of the House of Assembly said it could help young people build better lives.Kicking off a debate on his Public Works Ministry’s programme in the evening, Mr Burgess told MPs he was trying to find employment and training for students in the economic downturn.By providing 70 jobs in areas such as human resources, accounting, purchasing and safety and health, the Public Works Minister said young people would also benefit by improving their skill set and enhancing their knowledge base.Mr Burgess said the $370,000 move is being financed by making cuts elsewhere in his Ministry’s budget.He told the House the internship is also keeping young people out of trouble and giving many a chance to make cash to assist with the cost of their education and household expenses.Summer employment also allows them to make useful connections between school and the working world “that helps them understand why they are studying science, business or math”.It can help them develop working-related values, time management skills and the importance of following instructions, he said, and lets them gain leadership qualities and team-working skills.There are currently summer students working at the Government Quarry, Tynes Bay Waste to Energy Facility, the highways and waste management sections of the Ministry, Bermuda Aquarium Museum and Zoo.One Bermuda Alliance MP Mark Pettingill led the Opposition response, praising the initiative and saying he hopes it can be replicated across other Government Ministries.Mr Pettingill said the tourism industry in particular could benefit from young people’s involvement.Environment Minister Walter Roban said training programmes across Government have been useful for young people; he said he himself went through a key stage of development when he worked at Government in his younger days.Mr Roban said similar initiatives are likely to be announced in other departments in coming weeks.Southampton West Progressive Labour Party MP Randy Horton spoke of the importance of students getting work experience.“When we start to look down the road, it’s programmes like this that will help to get our young people ready for the many challenges that will confront us in the future,” said Mr Horton.He said this kind of programme would help teenagers decide what kind of career they wish to pursue, with the long-term goal of finding a job they can enjoy.OBA leader John Barritt praised Mr Burgess for cutting expenses elsewhere in his budget to finance the scheme, adding that Government could learn a valuable lesson from that method.Former Culture Minister Dale Butler said students pick up important knowledge when they work in the real world, giving the example of some who didn’t know how to mix sand, water and cement correctly until they worked on the old JOBB programme.Mr Butler called for churches, clubs and PTAs to sponsor students to work with businesses.Government Whip Lovitta Foggo said her own daughters learned the value of taking part in the same kind of employment programme.She said such initiatives help young people develop work ethics such as team play and learn how to socialise in the workforce arena.They can also build contacts which may help them get jobs in the future, said the St David’s MP.Attorney General Michael Scott said the summer school programme had the extra benefit of giving parents peace of mind over the coming months, as they know their children won’t be getting up to mischief.Shadow Families Minister Donte Hunt said many young people today have a sense of hopelessness about their job chances; many don’t appreciate you need to start at the bottom before climbing the ladder.He suggested giving parents incentives to encourage their children to do well at school and in jobs by handing out Financial Assistance with the condition that the child performs well.United Bermuda Party leader Kim Swan said the economic crisis should be seen as an opportunity for residents to emerge as better people.Mr Swan said young people have begun to recalibrate how they look at life, realising they have to work themselves sometimes because their parents can no longer afford to pay for everything such as school fees.Transport Minister Terry Lister said many companies in Bermuda which are currently stuck in the 60s and 70s should take on summer students to help bring them into the modern era; students could help develop websites for computer illiterate bosses, for example.Health Minister Zane DeSilva said during the recession many people need to realise they’ll have to accept jobs they might not want to do. He said the summer student initiative helps young people understand there are other choices out there.PLP MP Darius Tucker praised Mr Burgess, saying: “He’s obsessed with making sure that his young people in this Country succeed.”Mr Tucker, Families Minister Glenn Blakeney and backbencher Walter Lister all noted Mr Burgess’ relentless pursuit to encourage young people to get jobs. Mr Lister said this reflected the fact Mr Burgess was helped when he was a young man.Cabinet Minister Neletha Butterfield said the personal touch can build self-esteem in young people; she said the initiative would also show what jobs are available to them.