NYS Partners with Private Sector to Provide Youth Employment

The National Youth Service (NYS) is partnering with the private sector to provide training and employment opportunities to hundreds of young people across Jamaica.
Education, Youth and Culture Minister, Maxine Henry Wilson, who made the announcement at the Knox Community College graduation ceremony held recently in Cobbla, Manchester said: “We want to firm up.that partnership with the private sector to make sure that we are working together to give our young people the opportunities that they deserve and for which they have the necessary competence and potential.”
Giving further details of the initiative, Keith Duncan, Chairman of the Board of NYS informed that between 500 and 600 graduates were expected to gain jobs in organizations such as Cable and Wireless Jamaica, Digicel, and Atlas Security Company over a six month period, providing customer care services.These arrangements, he mentioned should come into effect before the end of the calendar year.
He noted that the NYS, through the assistance of the private sector, had provided training for 1,400 young persons last year and intended to increase that figure to 1,950 this year; 2,700 in 2005 and 5,100 in 2006.
Some 291 participants graduated from the four-week programme, which specialized in training persons to seek employment opportunities in the Security and Environmental Services.
Meanwhile, Kenyon Palmer and Latoya Collins were named most outstanding male and female trainees for 2004, with Damion Coke and Tamar Hutchinson voted most improved male and female. Sherryann Barrett was named most disciplined trainee and Sheldon Smith won the award for being most helpful. The graduation ceremony was held under the theme, ‘Building New Strategic Partnerships.Facilitating Youth Employment’.