The US Embassy has announced that 135 youth between the ages of 15 and 24 graduated from its most recent ‘Work Ready Now!’ training.
The training is funded through USAID’s Skills and Knowledge for Youth Employment (SKYE) programme, a press statement from the US Embassy said. It was implemented by the programme’s local partners Catholic Relief Services and Youth Challenge International Guyana. The SKYE Program is part of the Caribbean Basin Security Initiative partnership between the United States and the Caribbean.
“Investing in and supporting our youth is not only a compassionate, but a smart investment for Guyana’s future. The cost of not making such smart investments places much greater burdens on society,” USAID Mission Director, Daniel Smolka, said at the graduation event for some of the youth. He also hoped that “the partnerships developed through this program will be further deepened and strengthened to bring about effective and lasting change in support of the young people of Guyana.”
Work Ready Now! training transfers a set of basic employability skills, knowledge and behaviours essential for the success of young people as entry-level workers or entrepreneurs. This training is one of several Skye program elements to assist youth in gaining the self-confidence necessary to find and retain employment. It draws on the experience and advice of local public and private sector employees who provided vital tips for success in employment, helping to guide young Guyanese to better understand what businesses are looking for when selecting employees.
The Skye Program will continue to work with at-risk youth who are early school leavers, those who are involved in the juvenile justice system and those who have completed formal education but do not have the necessary skills to find employment. A total of 1,500 youth in regions Four, Six, Nine and Ten will undergo Work Ready Now! Training by August 2015, the release said.
