This Week We Feature Young Professional Kadeem S. Romney
“The COVID-19 pandemic has slowed the level of air traffic into and out of the BVI to nearly non-existent levels. Work hours are a lot shorter, but the work still has to be done,” Air Traffic Controller, Kadeem S. Romney told Virgin Islands News Online (VINO).
COVID-19 effects on VI
For Young Professional Romney, the Territory has seen better days. He is just one of the hundreds of essential workers on the frontline of the Novel Coronavirus pandemic, seeing first-hand its effects on various aspects of the Virgin Islands (VI) economy.
“For now, I would advise a careful approach to opening our borders. Maybe, and this is a suggestion, it would be better to have a period where persons are first allowed to leave the Territory and then a period after to receive those who are stuck abroad,” he said.
He called for strict measures to be put in place to have prearranged transportation for arriving persons to get to their homes as well as careful quarantined supervision when the borders eventually open.
Currently employed as Air Traffic Controller 1 with the British Virgin Islands Airports Authority (BVIPA), Mr Romney also has Meteorological Certification.
“Career-wise I was hoping to be chosen to undertake training as the first Meteorological Forecaster on behalf of the BVIAA, fingers crossed that things work out,” he said.
As a Meteorological Observer, his role also includes observing the weather to be codified in a special logbook and also disseminate weather details every hour for statistical and forecasting purposes.
Education
Living in the Slaney Hill area of Tortola, Mr Romney was educated at St Georges Primary (2005), then on to the Elmore Stoutt Secondary School (ESHS).
He attended the H. Lavity Stoutt Community College (HLSCC) on a part-time basis from 2012-2013, before graduating from the University of the West Indies, in Cave Hill, Barbados in 2017.
Even as he works in aviation, Mr Romney has a Bachelor’s in Accounting and earned his meteorological certification from the Caribbean Institute of Meteorology and Hydrology (CIMH) in Barbados and the Trinidad and Tobago Civil Aviation Authority (TTCAA) Training Centre.
He said his current interests include practising and honing skills as a day trader (stock market) and flying drones, in addition to finding interesting and fun books to read, playing video games, reading manga and watching anime.
Before venturing on his current career path, he said he worked at his family company, ROMASCO Group Ltd, from the age of 12 to 17 years old.
“I worked as a deckhand on the boats for a majority of that time, I loved being on the sea. I worked as an accounting clerk for them as well and I recently had the experience of learning how to be a ground handler/ticket agent at the airport for their company, Platinum Ports Services.”
Job skills
Romney said being an Air Traffic controller is a skilful job, which entails “to safely and efficiently coordinate the movement of air traffic both on the ground and in the air and ensure that a safe distance is maintained between aircraft at all times.”
Additionally, he said they provide weather information to pilots relevant to flight operations such as wind speed and direction, significant clouds, precipitation and any other significant occurrences such as lightning.
More roles include the full inspection of the airport surfaces, inspection of airport lights, and other communications equipment.
“These are just some of the roles that each Air Traffic Controller at Beef Island is capable of. The level of responsibility is often taken for granted and not everyone can do this highly skilled job”
Our Young Professional; however, said he plans to start a business based on his aviation experience and hobbies, “I would like to take my hobby of flying drones to open a business that provides drone photography and cinematography and to eventually expand into other areas of interest.”
Aerial Photography
Romney's aerial photography business venture is called AV8 Studios.
He said he has an Instagram page established and is currently working on finalising a Facebook page.
"The main aim of my business is to provide quality photos and videos of any possible event without breaking my customer’s pockets.”
He said that even if you really enjoy something, it is best to provide the medium by which it can be shared and enjoyed by everyone, “a satisfied and happy customer is really the main goal in the end,” he said.
Romney noted that the plan now is to gain credible exposure, but the most challenging part is finding work as most person’s do not see the benefit of having drone work done.
He said additionally, he will be moving into graphic designing and video editing after some experiments to learn more about the craft.
Life lessons
“My biggest life lesson was accepting who I was. I was never the type of person to rush forward and try to be the first for anything. Often times I lacked the motivation to do anything beyond what I knew I was capable of,” he underscored.
He said he overcome the hurdle with help from ‘a very understanding and patient mother’ and a great friend.
“I will forever be grateful to the guidance they both provided me, especially knowing how difficult I can be. It took me some time, but I am a better person now because of them.
“My mom guided and pushed me into my now aviation career at the T.B Lettsome International Airport and she continues to gently nudge me forward in advancing my career. My late grandmother, Lilly Romney, was also a great motivator for my education as well as my career,” he cited as his inspirations to get into the career.
He said his inspiration for wanting to start a drone business also came about from a love of his aviation career.
COVID-19 changed views on life
Turning his attention back to COVID-19, he said, his views on life has changed seeing human behaviours first hand in the rush to prepare for a local COVID-19 lockdown.
“For my personal life, this pandemic has shown me the lengths at which people will go to get what they need to be prepared for something like this. It is not an easy sight to witness.”
According to your Young Professional, “We are a small Territory and we could be better to our neighbours and be more respectful and understanding. And yes, the boredom is real.”
He said communication and life have moved digital as people stay connected, “My family life is still pretty normal. We talk daily in our WhatsApp group chats and share what information and jokes we happen to come across.”
He encouraged people to stay focused on the bigger picture, “We live in a world where many things are uncertain. Most persons tend to focus on the things that we have no control over. Deal with what you can today before it piles up tomorrow. Honestly, everyone should dedicate some portion of the day to focus on themselves and progress in something.”
Kadeem S. Romney says he envisions himself at the highest level attainable for an Air traffic Controller in the VI and to also be the head of any future meteorological office to be established in the Territory.
Parting Advice
Imparting advice to young people looking to pursue and achieve their dreams he said, life is too short to take paths made by others.
“Following the crowd often gets you places where you shouldn’t be and makes it that much harder to come back from.”
Our Young Professional called on persons to be more than the common denominator, “Break past social norms and be your own person. Peer pressure is just peer pressure, here today gone tomorrow. Have no regrets,” he said.
Mr Romney also urged all to make time for dreams, “People convince themselves that they will have time for their dreams later, but there’s never a better time than now. Be open to endless possibilities,” he said.
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9 Responses to “This Week We Feature Young Professional Kadeem S. Romney”
My dear. dear young brother this advice is coming from a sister with 30 years of investing experience. Now is not the time to day trade or try and to time the stock market. Very, very few day traders. Not even the so called experts ones, have a proven track record of beating the stock market over the long haul. You would be all the wiser to sit with a CFP, not a financial advisor who will recommend products that pays them a commission, to help you develop a long term plan to build wealth the slow and steady way..which wins the race. You have light years ahead of you some time is on your side.
A quick lesson for you..the reason why the stock market took such a quick tumble initially and will continue to so periodically until the world leaders have COVID 19 under control, is because the Day Traders had Margin Calls after institutions and individuals started dumping their holdings. As price per share on stocks decrease the brokerage houses started making those margin calls and day traders or the brokers across the world had to sell to pay the margin account. You will have some gains that makes it enticing snd gives you s false sense of confidence, but don't be fools by hat as you will have more days of losses than gain. So please my dear go the slow and steady route and switch to a buy and hold approach.
Other than the day trading, you are one stand out and go getter BVI Brother! You will go far. Just reach back and pull some others up when you get there. Much love for my people in the BVI.
You've achieved much in your young years but still have many more miles to go.
Just stay focused as you walk the path our Lord has forged for you.
I'm so proud and blessed to be your "Ma" and will always, always love you!
Congratulation !!!
#AWESOMEbrother
#AWESOMEuncle
#AWESOMEson
#AWESOMEperson ALL TOGETHER.
It's been such a pleasure watching you grow into the man you've become. Your perseverance is truly inspiring and I look forward to seeing your continued growth as you take on life's obstacles.
You are so deserving of this recognition.
Thank you for once again making me a very proud big sister!
Sending you loads of virtual hugs!