ST JAMES, Jamaica -- More than 1,400 youngsters Thursday graduated from training courses being offered by the HEART Trust/ NTA in western Jamaica.
The group has been certified by one of seven HEART Institutions in western Jamaica, at different certification levels in 19 different skills
Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Transport, Works and Housing, Audrey Sewell, delivering the main address at the certification ceremony held at the Seventh Day Adventist West Jamaica Conference Centre, in Montego Bay, underscored the importance of educational pursuits especially among young people.
“Today as I look around me I see Jamaica’s future, I see those who will be responsible for honing the next generation and I see those who will be ambassadors for Brand Jamaica… I also see the persons who will be looked upon to fulfill Jamaica’s development prospects over the short to long term,” Sewell said.
Sewell added that the relevance of the training and certification that the group had received could not be understated in the 21st century job market.
Quoting from a recent United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) working document, she pointed out that the working age population will increase globally by some 600 million persons in this decade, and that the highest increase is expected in the least developed countries such as Jamaica.
“The question therefore is, what do we do about this rise? Do we just boost our welfare programmes? Do we hope for increased remittances? Do we hope that more citizens can emigrate to reduce the population here? Or do we effectively train our people to deal with the individual, national and global challenges?” she said.
“This is where TVET (Technical Vocational Education and Training) programmes play a critical role, and this is where a prosperous path to empowerment can begin for so many of you,” Sewell emphasised.
The group has been certified by one of seven HEART Institutions in western Jamaica, at different certification levels in 19 different skills
Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Transport, Works and Housing, Audrey Sewell, delivering the main address at the certification ceremony held at the Seventh Day Adventist West Jamaica Conference Centre, in Montego Bay, underscored the importance of educational pursuits especially among young people.
“Today as I look around me I see Jamaica’s future, I see those who will be responsible for honing the next generation and I see those who will be ambassadors for Brand Jamaica… I also see the persons who will be looked upon to fulfill Jamaica’s development prospects over the short to long term,” Sewell said.
Sewell added that the relevance of the training and certification that the group had received could not be understated in the 21st century job market.
Quoting from a recent United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) working document, she pointed out that the working age population will increase globally by some 600 million persons in this decade, and that the highest increase is expected in the least developed countries such as Jamaica.
“The question therefore is, what do we do about this rise? Do we just boost our welfare programmes? Do we hope for increased remittances? Do we hope that more citizens can emigrate to reduce the population here? Or do we effectively train our people to deal with the individual, national and global challenges?” she said.
“This is where TVET (Technical Vocational Education and Training) programmes play a critical role, and this is where a prosperous path to empowerment can begin for so many of you,” Sewell emphasised.