Congratulations CTI!

The Career Training Initiative’s (CTI) Class P76 graduated 13 students today from its three week job readiness training program that provides low income Calgarians and clients of the DI to obtain certification in 18 different disciplines including, CPR, WHIMIS, Flagger, Forklift Operation, H2S Alive and more. Since its inception in February 2006, the program has graduated over 1,000 students – people whose lives have been changed through learning vital job skills along with computer and life skills.

Congratulations CTI Grads!

Alan Facey, our very own Director of Administration and Finance, gave the students a powerful and inspiring message when he said that the DI was founded on a dream as is CTI. And that dream can never be forgotten as people continue to move through the program to find a new way into the future. It’s never too late to dream, said Alan.

It was in the words of Valedictorian, Craig Maimba, however, that the true value and depth of what CTI has to offer was expressed.

“Yes We Did It Team”

– an excerpt from the Valedictorian speech by Craig Maimba

We came in raw and beaten up, like a rejected piece of material on an assembly line, but look at where we are now.

We came here confused about where to go, but look at where we are now.

We came in heartbroken, emotional hurting and sensitive to a lot of things, but look at where we are right now.

We came here hopelessly lost, but look at where we are now. We came here and changed our thinking; we were all mentored by the best, those that understood where we were. I say to you again, “look at where we are now”.

We come from different backgrounds, different life styles, and different upbringing. Garry, Ginger, Judy, Mohammed, Terry, Moaluse, Gary, Sonya, Abdelrahman, Leroy, Dennis, Pamela and not forgetting myself; Just remember this “Look at yourself now”.

Remember that day when you came into the program. How many unanswered questions you had and how many of those questions you still have. Each day in class, reminded me of my own family growing up around each other, adapting and supporting one another like pillars in a structure. Think about it and say to yourself, “Yes. I did it.”

I hope that you can now say, “Yes it was worth the time”. Given that we all have our different reasons, which drove us to pursue this. Mine was just more personal and I could not live with myself if I lost those that I love most dearly because of my inability to help myself through programs like these.

We love you CTI, and “Yes We Did It Team!”

Congratulations Class P76. Job Well Done!