Hundreds benefit from skills, training programme

The CARICOM Education for Employment (C-EFE) Youth Skills Development PreTechnology programme has provided training for 614 underserved youth between the ages of 17 to 29 years.

This exceeds its original target of 500. This was announced at the closing ceremony of the programme, held recently at the Jamaica Conference Centre in Kingston.

The pre-technology programme is a joint venture of the HEART Trust/NTA, C-EFE, Foreign Affairs Trade and Development Canada, UK Aid, Colleges and Institutes Canada, and the Canadian-based Parkland College.

The programme targeted youth in at-risk communities across the island and provided academic strengthening, personal (psychosocial) development and an introduction to a skills-training programme.

Learners were exposed to several skill areas, including food and beverage preparation, agro-processing and information and communication technologies.

EXCEL AND DEVELOP

Executive director of the HEART Trust/NTA, Dr Wayne Wesley, lauded the partners for making training opportunities more accessible.

“The pre-tech programme has provided an opportunity for youth to excel and develop regardless of socio-economic background,” said Dr Wesley.

He encouraged the participants to continue to build on the skills they have acquired.

Canada’s Parkland College was chosen by the HEART Trust/NTA because of its significant experience in developing and providing a wide range of pretechnology-based education and training programmes.

President of Parkland College, Dwayne Reeve stated that many Canadian youth tackle the same social issues as Jamaicans.

“We absolutely appreciate the opportunity to be involved and be part of this programme as we have learnt so much through our interactions with the trainees, and we will apply this to future projects and work at home,” said Reeve.