“NO country can develop if we have illiteracy around,” said Labour Minister, Dr. Nanda Gopaul at the graduation ceremony of the Board of Industrial Training Leonora Centre, where some 476 students graduated.The graduation, which was held at the Leonora Technical and Vocational Training Centre, last Friday graduated persons in different disciplines and from two programmes: the National Training Project for Youth Empowerment (NTPYE) and the Single Parents Training Programme.

The Government has, over the years, been working to ensure that all Guyanese have a chance to be trained in some aspect of work, and the training programmes are administered by the Board of Industrial Training (BIT). These training programmes have been providing opportunities for persons to acquire various skills themselves with varying skills; additionally, the work force is reinforced annually by skilled persons who have undergone training under BIT programmes.
This year’s batch represents a three-fold increase over the number of persons trained in 2013 in the region under the programme. The programme consists of on-the-job training and exposure to life skills educational classes. The youth who are targeted are between the ages of 15 and 25. Most of them do not have the requisite CSEC qualifications to enter the job market, or may not have completed secondary education
At the Leonora Centre, some 334 trainees graduated in the following occupational sectors: 70 persons in engineering: 36 in building construction; 18 in electrical installation; eight in the health services; 24 in information technology and clerical skills and 100 in home economics. There are also 78 persons who graduated under the Single Parents Training programme.
Speaking briefly at the graduation, Chief Executive Officer of BIT, Maria Khelawan, explained that the board continues its focus on community-based training programmes whereby youths become gainfully employed in the private and public sectors after they would have completed their training.
Khelawan emphasised that for the first time in 2014, the board commenced evening and Saturday classes in collaboration with the Ministry of Education and the technical and vocational training institutes countrywide.

Vice- Chairman of BIT, Nowrang Persaud, in brief remarks, noted that industrial training plays a huge part in today’s society, as he encouraged the graduates to continue elevating themselves, and play a part in the economic development of the country.
During his feature address, Minister of Labour, Dr. Nanda Gopaul, congratulated the students as he encouraged them not to become complacent, but to continue elevating themselves, as they hold the key to the country’s future.
The Labour Minister re-stated to the gathering that over the years, Government has been investing heavily in the development of its people through educational programmes. He made reference to the fact that Government has been supporting families through its school uniforms, school- feeding and transportation programmes, and more recently, its $10,000 education grant initiative, which have all contributed to a higher number of schoolchildren entering the education system.
Dr. Gopaul explained that the belief is that technical education is only for school dropouts, “But let me tell you that a technical education is very important,” he asserted. He explained also that with the direction of the country’s development, in a few years’ time, you will see the need for technical education “and you, yourself would want to invest in having a technical education.”
The minister noted that the Ministry of Labour has an agency, the Central Recruitment and Manpower Agency (CRMA), where the ministry can find jobs for persons and urged the graduates to utilise the facilities that are available to them.
About 3,000 persons graduated in 2013 from the BIT programmes, while more than 8,000 people have accessed training under the programmes overall since BIT’s introduction in 2005. Guyana’s BIT was hailed by Mexico and Colombia in 2013 as a model for youth training and for reducing unemployment.

(By Rebecca Ganesh-Ally)