Chamber of Commerce recognises six Caymanians as VoTech Stars

The Chamber of Commerce recognised six honourees – the VoTech Stars – at the VoTech Stars Awards Ceremony on Thursday, 3 October at the Compass Loft.

The VoTech Stars initiative is a collaboration launched in 2022 by the Chamber of Commerce in partnership with Inspire Cayman, Foster’s, and Health City.

Its purpose is to promote and celebrate Caymanians who excel in vocational and technical fields. People from the community are asked to nominate ambassadors or “VoTech Stars,” resulting in a final list of awardees.

It aims to attract more Caymanians to pursue careers in vocational/technical fields while educating them about the increasingly wide range of opportunities available.

Each VoTech Star tells his or her story in a short video made available on the Chamber of Commerce YouTube and social media channels. These videos can be a resource for school and college career guidance professionals.

The VoTech Stars are also featured on Grand Cayman billboards and promoted through national and media platforms. 

During the Ceremony, the Chamber CEO Wil Pineau welcomed the VoTech Stars, their families and sponsors.

“Tonight, we gather to recognise six exceptional Caymanians, each of whom has been nominated by their employers to be publicly recognised as VoTech Stars. Working in non-traditional careers, these individuals make indispensable contributions to our economy, often in ways that go unnoticed. This evening, we spotlight their unique and invaluable contributions, acknowledging that their efforts are as crucial to our community as those in more visible fields,” he said.

Chamber President Joanne Lawson stressed the importance of the programme’s role in increasing job opportunities. Quoting from the first Spider-Man Movie, she said: “With great power comes great responsibility”

Wesley Howell, Chief Officer with the Ministry of Labour and Border Control, joined Lawson and presented Alyssa West, Joey Bodden, Mechach Taylor, Perry Smith Jr., Trenton Foreman, and William Belfond with their awards. 

VoTech Star Profiles

Alyssa West - Engineering Admin Assistant, Department of Environmental Health.

Alyssa’s job at the Department of Environmental Health includes a wide range of responsibilities such as data entry, revision of building and pool architectural plans, assisting engineers with inspection, and collecting samples to be examined by the lab staff.

“I think what’s exciting about my job is that we learn something new daily. The environment’s always changing, so we as environmental engineers must change our processes, mindset, and equations to match up with the environment, so it’s challenging – but it’s very rewarding!”

Joey Bodden- Assistant Distiller, Cayman Spirits Company.

My duties include troubleshooting equipment failures, checking fermenters, cleaning and maintaining equipment, and proofing and blending products.

“What excites me most about this industry is I meet vast amounts of people and the whole science behind the processing. Advice for a young person pursuing a career like this industry would be: ‘Pursue science-oriented fields – that will help you out a lot- along with keen attention to detail.’” 

Meshach Taylor-Terminal Operator at RUBIS Cayman Islands Limited (RCIL).

In February 2022, Meshach Taylor enrolled in the Rubis Operations Intern Programme. During his internship, Meshach was receptive to learning how fuel is handled within a fuel terminal. His transition from intern to full-time employee is a testament to his positive work ethic and attitude.

His duties include performing and recording daily maintenance activities of the Jackson Point Marine Terminal and ensuring that RCIL facilities and equipment are operated safely, reliably, and efficiently. Meshach continues to be a valuable contributor to the RCIL Operations Team.

Perry Smith Jr. - Onsite Wastewater Inspector, Cayman Water Authority

A certified Master Plumber, Perry’s duties include inspecting on-site wastewater treatment systems under construction and in operation, investigating complaints, and conducting environmental investigations.

“I realised at a very young age that there was a high demand for tradesmen here in the Cayman Islands, which prompted me to pursue a technical career. I decided to go with Plumbing. I would say what excites me the most is some of the complex problems on a day-to-day basis and utilising my skills to help the company achieve its goals.”

Trenton Foreman – Onsite wastewater Inspector & Trainer, Cayman Water Authority

Trenton is solely responsible for training and certifying all the certified treatment inspectors across the Cayman Islands. He helped develop the Onsite Wastewater Management Programme, which the Water Authority developed to ensure that the 600+ treatment plants across the islands are not neglected. Trenton has certified more than 50 technicians and is constantly raising the community’s wastewater treatment system maintenance standard.

“I think the thing that excites me most about my job is the ability to make a difference with what we are entrusted in, which is groundwater protection.”

William Belfond- IT Support Specialist at Foster’s

The Support Specialist is a Level 2 technical resource position within Foster’s IT Department. It is geared toward supporting the Level 3 Specialist team. The support specialist works closely with internal team members and external partners to perform IT support tasks to meet business needs.

“I pursued a career in IT because it has such a broad scope,” William said. “The work is very varied and dynamic. Every day is a different day, and that always keeps the job interesting,”

William started with Foster’s in 2016, pushing carts at our Airport Store location. In 2020, he was promoted from IT Cleaning Associate to IT Associate. In 2021, he was promoted again to IT System Administrator. In 2023, he was promoted again to IT Support Specialist and given new responsibilities.

Alyssa West, Joey Bodden, Mechach Taylor, Perry Smith Jr, and Trenton Foreman.