(Observer by Newsco) Scores of young people were urged to hustle, adapt, and create their own opportunities during an empowering address by Climate Justice Advocate Sashagay Middleton during the Antigua and Barbuda Workers’ Union (ABWU) annual Youth Congress, held on Wednesday under the theme “Adaptability to Ensure Sustainability: Encouraging Entrepreneurship in Youth.”
Middleton, a guest speaker at the event, inspired attendees with a deeply personal message of resilience, perseverance, and intentional preparation for leadership in a changing world.
“Every risk you take, when calculated, builds experience, resilience and success,” Middleton told the audience. She encouraged youth to actively seek opportunities and not simply wait for success to come. “Although the saying goes ‘good things come to those who wait,’ I believe good things come to those who also hustle,” she said.
Middleton reflected on her own difficult upbringing, noting that her father dropped out of school in second grade and her mother left school at 16 due to teen pregnancy. Despite these challenges, she sought out scholarships and pushed herself to pursue higher education. “I told myself, all one can say is no — therefore I tried. And I advise each and every one of you to do the same,” she added.
In support of the event’s theme, Vice President of ABWU’s Youth Arm, Blair Rose, emphasized the critical need for adaptability in today’s fast-changing work environment.
Blair Rose
“Each youth present here today represents the future of our workforce and economy,” Rose said. “Traditional career paths are becoming less common. New industries are emerging overnight. The job you’re preparing for today may not exist in five or ten years.”
Rose underscored that adaptability has become the key skill for career survival and success. “It’s not just about having a degree or a special skill anymore. It’s about the ability to pivot, to learn, to grow — to be responsive to change.”
She introduced the concepts of upscaling and retooling as essential strategies for staying relevant and competitive. “Upscaling is about deepening your expertise in your current field,” she explained, citing examples from marketing to construction. “Retooling, on the other hand, means acquiring new skills for new industries — like learning about electric vehicle technology if you’re currently a mechanic.”
Rose also highlighted the importance of developing an entrepreneurial mindset, even for those working within traditional job structures. “Entrepreneurship isn’t just about launching a big company — it’s a way of thinking,” she said. “If you see a problem and build a solution, that’s entrepreneurship. And that’s a critical skill for all of you.”
Encouraging youth to take action, Rose challenged attendees to commit to learning a new skill within the year — whether a coding language, software tool, or a soft skill like public speaking. “Our unions must support you in upscaling and retooling. A union is only as strong as its members. With no members, there is no union.”
She ended with a passionate call to resist passivity in a world of ongoing change. “When you’re under threat, you have two choices: flight or fight. I encourage you to fight — not with arms, but with the tools of upscaling.”
The ABWU Youth Congress 2025 served as a platform to spark conversation and commitment to action among the nation’s future leaders, equipping them with the mindset and tools necessary to navigate — and thrive — in a rapidly evolving global economy.
