Students’ work and travel programme goes full throttle

Mwith the students’ performance. The application period for next year’s work and travel programme opened in

July and ends in December.

Foster is confident that the 2022 programme will exceed this summer’s performance.

“I think that this year will be better, especially since the embassy reopened, because that caused a little challenge,” Foster told while adding that the Democrats are keen on keeping the programme going.

Kim was among the 5,000-plus students who travelled to the USA for work this summer. She said that this year was her second time participating in the programme, and this time around she worked as a housekeeper in Wisconsin.

“I needed the money for tuition, yes, but work and travel gives the opportunity to go outside my comfort zone and see another environment. Being in Jamaica started to get depressing with the lockdowns and curfews. I needed more, and going away gave me that. I met other persons and learned about their culture, and to hear how they were coping with the

pandemic. It was an eye-opener,” Kim told

She added that she eagerly waited for her interview date in May and wasted no time in securing her airline ticket.

Foster told that some students who travelled on the programme this year attained additional employment due to some worksites being short-staffed, as some Americans opted to stay home.

Earl Morgan of the Overseas Work and Travel is happy to see the programme on the rebound. He is hoping for the days when business will return to prepandemic levels. Foster, who is CEO of the Student’s Work and Travel Productions Limited, said that he is preparing his team for next year’s cohort as he aims for a 100 per cent participant rate. “Students were cautious this year, but we are looking forward to next year. We are going full force for 100 per cent, because we realise that we can work at that capacity with COVID-19. That is the intention,” Foster said.