JIS: State Minister for Education, Youth and Information, Hon. Floyd Green, says the Government is placing increased focus on Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) in order to better prepare young people for the job market.
“We are reforming our education system to place more emphasis on the practical side of skills, and we want to ensure, from as early as secondary school, our young people are learning certifiable skills,” he said.
He was speaking at the opening ceremony for World Youth Skills Day 2018 on July 17 at the HEART Trust/NTA’s Garmex Academy in Kingston.
Held under the theme ‘New Skills for Emerging Jobs: Improving the Image of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET)’ the expo highlighted the value of acquiring a skill to achieve personal success and fulfilment.
It was targeted at young people, aged 15 to 25, introducing them to new and emerging skills and training opportunities in areas such as hydroponics, mechatronics, mobile robotics 3D printing, mobile application development, videography, make-up artistry (for film) and renewable energy (photovoltaic installation).
The event featured plenary sessions on careers in the automotive industry, marketing self for future jobs, social media and cybercrime; and booth displays in information and communications technology (ICT), digital animation, engineering, and allied health services, among others.
Managing Director of the HEART Trust/NTA, Janet Dyer, encouraged the young people to take advantage of available training opportunities.
She noted that “67 per cent of our workforce is untrained and uncertified and we have that to fix”.
“Today’s World Youth Skills Day is one of the many activities that we are using to ensure that our young people in Jamaica get all the opportunities that are available to get trained, certified and to contribute to the productivity of this nation,” she said.
The expo was organised by the HEART Trust/NTA and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization and Vocational Education Centre (UNESCO-UNEVOC) in collaboration with WorldSkills Jamaica.
CAPTION: State Minister for Education, Youth and Information, Hon. Floyd Green (right), examines a mobile robot during the opening ceremony for World Youth Skills Day 2018 on July 17 at the HEART Trust/NTA’s Garmex Academy in Kingston. Looking on is second-year student in Industrial Systems, Operations and Maintenance at the Caribbean Maritime University (CMU), Jenelle Hinds.