Over the past three years, the Board of Industrial Training (BIT) has significantly impacted the lives of 347 persons in Region Seven through comprehensive training in 14 occupational skills.
The Department of Public Information (DPI) said that 201 females and 146 males who are now skilled and ready for the world of work received certification in programmes such as building construction, heavy-duty equipment operation, electrical installation, commercial food preparation and photovoltaic systems solar installation.
This was revealed by Minister of Labour, Joseph Hamilton during an interview with DPI yesterday at the ministry’s office, Brickdam, Georgetown.
Meanwhile, about 46 persons are currently engaged in hard skills training, which include boat building, welding and fabrication, and electrical installation, the report said.
“We have about 10 to 15 females in the two programmes. But the boat building programme, the majority of persons are females who are involved”, Hamilton said.
The programmes, which are free of cost, are tailored to enhance the quality of life of the trainees.
Plans are underway to expand the programmes throughout Guyana, especially in areas where a great demand for these training opportunities exist.
For 2024, Hamilton revealed plans to implement new training courses, which in addition to quality will focus on volume.
Hamilton said, “I believe we have to take our programmes to a different place. In some areas, we have to churn out innovation. The training…must graduate to where trainees can do special projects by utilising new technology…And by employing these new technologies via innovation, we can be able to do some things in a more efficient way.”
To date, some 11,275 persons have benefitted from skills training through BIT in all the regions. Of that amount, 4,283 are males and 6,992 are females, DPI said.
