NYS Youth Opportunity Fair Goes to St. Ann

Some 500 young people in St. Ann are expected to benefit from a Youth Opportunity Fair, scheduled for Friday, October 24 at the St. Hilda’s High School Auditorium in Brown’s Town.
Organised by the National Youth Service (NYS) with the support from the HEART Trust /NTA and the Jamaica Business Development Centre (JBDC), the fair is one of a series being held across the island, targeting young people between the ages of 17 and 29, who are out of school and without a job.
Angela Wisdom, NYS Human Resource and Administrative Manager, told JIS News that the fair was intended to facilitate self-assessment and provide the young people with information about career options and training opportunities.
Mrs. Wisdom said the day’s activities would start with an opening session, where officers from HEART/NTA would make presentations on career choices and training requirements. There will be two 30-minute sessions where participants will examine the topics: ‘Career Planning and Goal Setting’, as well as ‘Creating a Business and Entrepreneurship Plan’, while representatives from various organisations, including the Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA), Cable & Wireless, National Housing Trust (NHT), Ministry of Education, Youth and Culture, and skilled persons such as computer technicians and artists, will mount displays highlighting their products and services, as well as employment opportunities.
The Human Resource Manager said the day’s event would climax with clinics, which would provide detailed information to persons who wished to start their own businesses. Proprietors from various skill areas are expected to showcase their talents in the form of live demonstrations. These skills include hairdressing, manicuring and pedicuring, dressmaking and food preparation.