 In May 2020, the Commonwealth of Learning partnered with Coursera to provide those who lost their livelihoods due to COVID-19 with the skills needed to re-enter the workforce. Registered learners gained unlimited and free access to over 4,000 courses designed to help them stay relevant in the changing job markets. Over 80,000 citizens of the Commonwealth have already benefited from this initiative, with more than 10,000 people graduating. Recognizing the success of these learners, the first virtual convocation for Africa was held on August 18th, celebrating the 2,300 graduates. Similar events are planned for our graduates from Asia and the Pacific in the near future, but today we honor all of you from the Caribbean. I'm also increasing my marketability in terms of my career and my talent. In addition, I'm also learning all the skills and tools that I need to make more meaningful contributions to my community and to my country as a whole. I have been able to achieve a number of accomplishments thus far, which has boosted my skillset, both for my current employment and it has helped me chart a path that I want to travel for my future. Nobody can tell you guys you cannot do it. We all can do it with hard work and progression. Most of the courses I took were centered on teaching and these courses have given me the tools needed to enrich my students' experiences by creating more interactive online courses. It wasn't easy, yet still it wasn't hard, but through hard work, determination and a positive mindset, I have succeeded. This initiative is very pivotal and has played a tremendous part in my life in that it has allowed me to acquire new knowledge and skills as it relates to my work. And I am also able to obtain and rescue myself personally and professionally. I look forward within the upcoming months to take a number of courses on Coursera and that would be for my personal knowledge as well as for a good look on my resume. I enjoy that entrepreneurship course because it allowed me to dispel a lot of fears that I had in regards to starting a business and I also needed some insight as to which career that I would want to pursue in the future. I registered for Coursera because I believe it provides an avenue to attain further education in topics that I am interested in. Also, because of the flexible structures of the courses you are able to study at your own pace and if you download the Coursera app it makes it even easier to study on the go. At the end of it, I found I was more knowledgeable than when I was starting. The program has helped me with some aspects in my job as well as my hobby. It can be difficult to learn by yourself but each new skill, each new knowledge is a step forward for a better future. I hope these courses will enhance my teaching career and more to my work environment. Without no hesitation, I urge you to sign up for these courses. This is the best thing that will ever happen to you. The two main benefits I've gained. One, gaining a deeper knowledge and skill set requires to be more valuable and efficient in my career path. And two, becoming more confident in performing technical duties in a more professional manner. Make knowledge acquisition part of your work process. This course has impacted my knowledge. It has increased my confidence and made me feel proud about myself. My confidence is up 1000%. It has been very, very good for me. I have improved my writing skills. I'm looking forward to writing my book in the future. Coursera has impacted me as a single mom since I'm unable to go to classes because due to my son, I got the opportunity to pursue certificates with Coursera. Moving forward, I will be using these certificates to help me boost my employability. I have used this opportunity to tap into specializations and professional education in the fields of IT, business and education. Since then, I've been doing a better job coming into my clients and assisting them where they needed me. I'm going to be continuing pursuing the courses that are open to me and I'm very, very thankful to be part of this program. Coursera for making things possible for me to be able to bring knowledge, acquire skills and gain qualifications that will greatly enhance my individual self as well as my portfolio for the world field. Thank you. The lessons learned from these courses has aided my transition from being a professional to becoming a manager. Continuous growth, development and improvement are definitely important to success, therefore an opportunity like this shouldn't be missed. Maya Angelou once said, do the best you can until you know better and then when you know better, do better. I'm originally from Guyana and like many Guyanese grew up in her family all across the Caribbean, from Jamaica to Trinidad and Barbados. I'm so proud to see the tens of thousands of learners across the Caribbean enrolled in this program and thousands of learners graduating already. I know it's not always easy to juggle all of your day to day responsibilities while going through some of these very challenging courses. So it is very impressive to see you all investing in your education. These skills are going to unlock new opportunities for you. So keep going and spread the word in your communities to create a culture of lifelong learning across the Caribbean. Thank you very much.