Dozens Benefit from Youth Skills Fair

Dozens of young persons yesterday (May 3) participated in ‘Youth try-a-skill/entrepreneurship fair,’ where they were tested and guided into areas of training and potential employment.
The event, held at 60 Lady Musgrave Road, was organized by Minister of Education and Youth, Maxine Henry Wilson in collaboration with a number of government skills training agencies.
Speaking with JIS News, Mrs. Henry Wilson explained that, “this is the third in a series that we are running, where we bring in government and quasi-government agencies to showcase how they can guide people into sustainable employment opportunities”.
She informed that sessions were held in Vineyard Town, and at Mico and, “working with someone who runs a social work/psychological training entity, we went in the community of Nannyville and tested some of the young people and directed them as to where to go in terms of their aptitude and their qualifications.” Mrs. Henry Wilson said that favourable feedback had been received from those who benefited from the first two fairs. “Certainly, the testing and guidance has done very well,” she told JIS News, noting that out of the Vineyard Town fair, a number of persons have gone on to training entities and have begun the qualification process.
She pointed out that as a Member of Parliament, she receives many requests to assist persons in finding jobs but, she noted that, “many of them don’t have any concept that there are things that they can do for themselves, as well as the need for them to plug into state agencies like the HEART/Trust NTA or the National Youth Service (NYS), to get some better training opportunities.
“So, we have HEART here, actually doing some career testing of people, and psychological profile, and they are also speaking to people about how they can plug into the various course,” she indicated. “They are also doing displays, showing various ways in which there can be self-employment. Then we have the Jamaica Business Development Company (JBDC) guiding people through the whole process of developing their job profile, showing them how they can apply for loans, etcetera,” Mrs. Henry Wilson continued. She further informed that the NYS had been invited to participate in the fair, “to show them (young people) how to apply for the summer jobs and how to apply for other opportunities that may be available. We are trying to break the syndrome that the Member of Parliament has to find a job for you.” The Scientific Research Council also participated in the fair. Students, particularly those from the upgraded high schools, were also invited to examine career opportunities and how they could develop a career path.