St. Ignatius Welding Students Shine Abroad in STEM Training

We shift now from Career Day to seven standout welding and NDT students from St. Ignatius High School who just returned from a transformative trip to North Carolina. The ten‑day field experience, heavily supported by the STEM U Foundation, aims to strengthen Belize’s technical talent by giving students, especially young women, hands‑on industry exposure. We caught up with the group at the Philip Goldson International Airport today, where they shared what the trip meant for their future in the field.

 

Jeaneane Neal, Principal, St. Ignatius High School

“Stem U Foundation has been one of the biggest sponsors for this program or initiative. It is Saint Ignatius High School students engaged in STEM, particularly welding and non-destructive testing. Stem U Foundation does a global exchange every year and so this is the second year with St. Ignatius High School in the area of Stem. We left the country the ninth of March and came back today and we took six female students and one male. And as the chair of BAPS, the Belize Association of Principal of Secondary School I will in turn deliver all my experience.”

 

Bettina Myers, 4^th Form Student, St. Ignatius High School

“This experience has been very enlightening and empowering, because when we went there we saw a lot of women that are specialties in their fields and it encouraged me more to continue this study and own my own business. When I was in second form they just placed in the new welding so when I saw them doing their open day presentations, I got really inspired to do it as well.”

 

Jacey Moro, 4^th Form Student, St. Ignatius High School

“A good experience because it encouraged us to know that we as young girls can contribute to society as a welder. I didn’t know what I was getting into welding. I just saw this and ai took it as an opportunity. It is very interesting, I love the time, patience and techniques you can use as a welder.”

 

Their trip may be over, but the confidence and career drive these students brought home are only just beginning to take shape.

 

Attention readers: This online newscast is a direct transcript of our evening television broadcast. When speakers use Kriol, we have carefully rendered their words using a standard spelling system.

 

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