Vice President of the Board the NTPYE Clinton Williams told 173 graduates at their convocation exercise last month that they should feel privileged to have accessed training that will allow them to meet employment needs.
According to a Government Information Agency (GINA) press release Williams said the foundation of any competent skills reservoir revolves around an education and training system geared to respond to the needs of the changing technological climate. He said too like many other developing countries, Guyana has been experiencing a widening gap between work place needs and capabilities. The National Training Project for Youth Empowerment (NTPYE) evolved to address this mismatch between the needs of the business and the skills generated by the formal educational and training system.
Williams said the objective of the programme is to train about 1,750 unemployed and vulnerable youths annually to a semi-skilled level in occupations that are considered essential for economic development and to ensure that the knowledge and skills imparted not only enables them to become employable but also serve as a conduit to further technical and vocational training. Despite the challenges, he said by year-end 572 youths from regions one, two, three, four, five and six were trained.
GINA said youths were trained in courses such as cosmetology, bricklaying, welding, mechanical engineering, carpentry, joinery, medical clerk and nursing aide, among others.
Meanwhile, President of the Board of Industrial Training Dr Dale Bisnauth congratulated the graduates and urged them to take advantage of the opportunities available to them. Region Four Chairman Clement Corlette said that the initiative is good as it augurs well in preparing people for national development. He urged the graduates to use their skills to develop Guyana rather looking at it as an avenue to migrate.
Also, Region Three Chairman Julius Faerber reminded the graduates of the values that they were taught and advised them to uphold them and become role models in society.
Additionally, General Secretary of the People’s Progressive Party Donald Ramotar said the event is a reflection of the faith that government has in youths. He said the administration has always believed that human resources are an essential element in the development process and as such government has been investing significantly in education. Ramotar encouraged the graduates to continue to study and advance their knowledge.
According to GINA the NTPYE is the brainchild of President Bharrat Jagdeo. It aims at giving vulnerable youths a second chance to be gainfully employed. It is executed through the labour ministry. From 2005-2007, 694 vulnerable youths between the ages of 16-25 drawn from six regions accessed training through the NTPYE. The release said 625 gained employment within the industrial sector, 91 at private companies and 71 in public sector companies.
A minimum of 1,750 students are expected to be trained in the second phase of the programme. The programmes are held from three months to one year. GINA said each trainee is paid an allowance and reading materials, basic tools and safety gear are provided.
A life skill educational component is also included on the roster in order to provide all-round development for the trainees.
The graduation exercise was hosted at the National Cultural Centre.
