Jamaica: More than 150,000 citizens to benefit from 5-year Digital Skills Programme

Jamaica: The Ministry of Education, Youth, Information and Microsoft of Jamaica has noted that more than 150,000 Jamaicans would get benefit from its five-year Digital Skills Programme. This 5-year programme aims to provide individuals with the digital skills required to fill in-demand jobs.

For the partnership related to the programme, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed on July 27 at the Ministry's National Heroes Circle offices in Kingston.

The Minister of Education, Youth, Information and Microsoft - Fayval Williams, stated, "Approximately 31,000 persons would be trained each year up to the year of 2026, gaining valuable skills to participate in a digital future."

The Minister added that more than 62 trainers would be equipped with the required knowledge to give training to the participants.

Following the statement, she added, "The object of our programme is to have these people trained in one or more of the four courses offered, based on their level of learning. There is no age limit, and there would be no obstacles to entry."

The Minister further noted that this programme would develop the employment possibilities of the recipients as the COVID-19 pandemic has taught valuable lessons about the advantages of a digitised society.

She also noted and stated that the digital economy had created new opportunities in various fields and added, "We admire Microsoft Jamaica for this very significant outreach, which they are funding, and the significance of this initiative can not be overstated."

Yamile Bustamante - Country Representative for Microsoft, further explained that the global training programme responds to the difficulties produced by the COVID-19 pandemic, including job loss.

She said that some of these jobs would return in different forms as companies transform and rebound, and the individuals would mind have to be trained to fill those positions.

The Minister concluded that this initiative seeks to bring digital platforms close to people from all ages and backgrounds to gain new technological knowledge.