HEART/NTA Signs MoUs to Boost Skills and Employment of Jamaicans

The national training and certification agency, the HEART Trust/NTA, has partnered with three key entities to boost the skills and productive capacity of thousands of Jamaicans.

The agency, on Wednesday (February 25), signed Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) with GSW Animation Limited, Jamaica Promotions Corporation (JAMPRO) and the Transport Authority.

The signing of the agreements, at the HEART Trust/NTA’s Oxford Road office in Kingston, will provide training and certification to enhance employment and investment opportunities in keeping with the national economic objective.

Providing details, Director of the agency, Dr. Wayne Wesley, said the MoU with GSW Animation will provide for the training of a pool of animation industry professionals and instructors, who will lead the development of a sustainable animation industry, and provide quality instruction, that will produce graduates with in-demand skills.

He said labour information shows that the animation industry is one of the subsectors that offer opportunities for advancement and job creation.

Under the MoU, the HEART Trust will provide partial funding for the programme as well as training and administrative support.

GSW Animation Limited will provide equipment and information technology infrastructure; and technical assistance in the sourcing of two overseas-based instructors with international experience and qualifications to provide quality instruction.

As part of the agreement, a pilot programme will be undertaken for the training of 60 students over a 12-month period in a live production working environment.

Meanwhile, the HEART Trust and JAMPRO are collaborating under a $4 million agreement to implement the capacity building and training component of JAMPRO’s Export Max II programme.

Export Max II is an enterprise development programme, which will target a group of 20 exporting and export-ready firms to build their internal capacities to take advantage of market opportunities and increase export sales.

The specific goals of the MoU are to enhance the marketability of selected products in targeted companies through improvements in branding, packaging and labelling over the three-year life of the MoU.

It is expected that the performance of the selected businesses will be increased by five per cent, resulting in increased employment. As part of the conditions of the MoU, participating companies will facilitate internships and short-term employment for HEART trainees.

The collaboration of the HEART Trust/NTA and the Transport Authority is to educate, train, assess and certify public passenger vehicle drivers and conductors to improve the overall performance of the public transport system.

This training includes proper understanding of the Transport Authority Act, the Road Traffic Act and the Transport Authority and Road Traffic Regulations as well as instruction in defensive driving techniques.

The provisions of the MoU will see the training and assessment of members of the public transport body over a period of three years. The HEART Trust will provide $12 million of the $18 million per annum required for the funding of the programme.

The provisions of the MoUs for the respective companies are expected to formally take effect on April 1.