WHITTINGHAMDaviot Kelly, Staff Reporter
STACY-ANN WHITTINGHAM is one determined young woman. Growing up in a volatile area of Kingston, she could easily have ended up in the wrong situation.
"I was born when we lived on Wildman Street but we had to move because of the whole political turmoil," she remembers. She says there were times when she could hear gunshots punctuating the night air. They had to move; and they have moved for quite a lot over the years. But, despite the sometimes less than ideal circumstances, she is trying to make something of herself.
While attending Vauxhall Secondary, there seemed to be a mix-up with the class that she was supposed to be in. Instead of being placed in one of the 'brighter classes' and being given the chance to do more subjects at the CXC Level, she was placed in a lower stream. Limited subjects means limited passes and so the prospects for finding a job seemed to be bleak.
She joined the Youth Educational Support System (YESS) programme run by the Kingston Restoration Company (KRC) on the advice of a good friend. There she was immediately thrust into the art of binding. The only experience she had in any technical areas was the clothing and textiles she studied at Vauxhall.
"We (herself and the other trainees) had no clue about binding. But I was so interested to learn. We didn't know what it would be like. But we started." Over time she got to like binding and learning the whole process from getting the right measurements to securing the pages.
As part of the training process she had to do work with deaf children at School for the Deaf. She admits that it was a new experience for her. "We actually had to correspond with deaf people, we had to learn how to sign." There were times when the programme was difficult to handle as sometimes she would arrive late for training because she had to be doing small jobs to make her own money. She remembers that she and the other trainees had to rely on the KRC for allowances. But she never gave up.
Once the programme ended, Stacy was anxious to get started in the working world. "After the training I couldn't wait to see what the result would be. It (the programme), really paid off because since I left school, I have been working."
Her first job with her newly-developed skill was at the National Library of Jamaica. However, the position was only a temporary one and so after a year, they let her go. But now, having had a taste of the profession, Stacy was determined not to lay around the house; there was no sitting around idle like that time after high school. "The pay was not all that great (at the library), but sitting down doesn't pay anything whatsoever."
She now genuinely wanted to work in this field. So she searched and through word of mouth, she heard of a job opportunity at the University Printery. The 'where' was not important to Stacy-Ann. She wanted to work and wrote her application letter the same day. A part of the interview included a physical demonstration of her binding technique. At the subsequent interview she arrived late, a little fearful they might be turned off by her tardiness. But, after a couple of weeks waiting for a reply, the job was hers. She has been there for approximately two years now.
Stacy is also trying to improve her qualifications. She is attending classes at the university. She is not absolutely sure what she wants to do with her life yet but she definitely hopes it involves her first love.
"I really want to get back into clothing and textiles again. I always loved it and I used to get high grades in it, A's and B's."
She sheepishly admits that she might not always be as focused as she needs to be.
"Next September, I will definitely focus more on the studies and work harder." She knows that too many persons have helped her to this point to just disappoint them and herself now. Among these persons is her mother. "Sometimes I felt like I wanted to stop going to training. But my mother pushed me and she wouldn't let me quit."
Stacy-Ann is smart enough to know that there are many distractions in her way.
"I see the people on the lane where I live but I don't hang out with them." She is quick to point out that she doesn't believe she is better than anyone as she is still courteous. But she knows her life must move in a positive direction and sitting on the corner will certainly not do it. She wants to improve upon what she has learned in binding, grasping the new techniques.
"I am grateful for everything that's happened to me. Now I'm learning more and more things from the people at the bindery." She advises young people that it does not matter what form of gainful employment they have, it is worth it. "Some people may not look at binding seriously but it's a career, and a good one."
She vows that there will be no stopping her now regardless of what hindrances she may face. "No one walks over Stacy-Ann," she states firmly.
