Minister Kiz Johnson Urges UWI Graduates to Embrace Life’s Detours

Minister of State Kiz Johnson told graduates of The University of the West Indies Five Islands Campus on Thursday that an unexpected turn in their careers could lead to opportunities they had never considered.

Delivering the feature address at the Lifelong Learning Unit’s graduation ceremony, Johnson compared life’s highs and lows to the peaks and valleys on a heart monitor. She encouraged graduates to see setbacks as part of a journey that can take them in new directions.

“So, when your plans take an unexpected turn, and there are peaks and valleys, it signals that you are alive and that your journey has not ended. Sometimes the detour becomes the very path that leads you to your purpose,” she said.

Johnson recalled enrolling in a short course at UWI during a difficult period in her corporate career. The experience opened up new opportunities in marketing and led to teaching at the Lifelong Learning Unit. She later served as an independent senator before becoming a member of the House of Representatives.

“When I look back, I see a remarkable thread: a difficult season in corporate life; one short course; new opportunities in marketing; the privilege of teaching at UWI; and the chance to apply those lessons in public service. None of it unfolded exactly as I had planned. But each experience prepared me for the next,” Johnson said.

The ceremony recognised students who completed short courses through the unit’s professional development programme. The unit reported that 605 students participated in its professional development courses this year. The courses help participants build skills, pursue new careers or prepare for further training.

Led by Executive Director Paula Lee, the unit has also extended training to inmates at His Majesty’s Prison through a programme designed to equip them with practical skills for life after release.