Animation Training Programme Concludes on Friday

The Ministry of Science, Energy and Technology will conclude the second in a series of animation training programmes being held at the Vocational Training Development Institute (VTDI) in Kingston on Friday, July 29.

The month-long ‘Train the Trainers’ programme focuses on enhancing and improving participants’ delivery of animation courses.

This will be achieved by equipping them with effective teaching strategies, techniques and methodologies in 2D and 3D formats.

The programme, which was first held in 2015, is administered through the Youth Employment in the Digital and Animation Industries (YEDAI) Project.

YEDAI’s Project Manager, Margery Newland, expressed pleasure with the level of participation in this year’s turnout, noting that, “We are very happy that we were able to continue the Train the Trainers Module 2 with the same cohort of participants and trainers from last year, as this provides continuity and strength to the programme.”

This year’s programme, which commenced on July 4, is being attended by more than 20 participants, mainly lecturers and teachers from several institutions.

These include the Caribbean Institute of Media and Communication, University of the West Indies, Mona; Edna Manley College of the Visual and Performing Arts; University of Technology, Jamaica; The Mico University College; Excelsior Community College; HEART Trust/NTA; and Jamaica Animation Nation Network.

Ms. Newland also lauded the overall support given to the project.  “The local training institutions have been extremely supportive, as was our collaboration with the trainers and Capilano University,” she said.

Participants have been benefiting from lectures, research, experiments, evaluations and hands-on projects administered by noted Canadian academics, Professors Don Perro and Adam Sale from Capilano University in Vancouver.

The programme will conclude with a closing ceremony at VTDI on Friday, July 29, during which the visiting professors will present their reports, and certificates awarded to the participants.

The YEDAI Project, which is being funded through a US$20-million World Bank loan, aims to train 2,500 local animators over a five-year period.