THE Ministry of Labour (MoL) on Monday signed two contracts valued approximately $84 million for the construction of two new Board of Industrial Training (BIT) facilities in New Amsterdam and Corriverton, Region Six.
The first contract awarded will see NK Enterprise Inc building a training facility in New Amsterdam at a cost of $44,872,630, and the second will see Perba Trading and Construction building another training centre in Corriverton, at a cost of $39, 967,850.
The two centres which are expected to be completed in six months, will pave the way for the region to have a skilled workforce.
A total of $139 million was allocated in Budget 2023 to construct and rehabilitate several training centres.

The plot of land at New Amsterdam was provided by the Town Council, and the land at Corriverton was gifted to the ministry, for which Minister of Labour, Joseph Hamilton, expressed gratitude.
In Region Nine, Minister Hamilton said that they are refurbishing a facility in Lethem where training is to be done, as well as in Annai, North Rupununi.

During the consideration of the budget estimates, Minister Hamilton had related that the ministry plans to inject $20 million into the facility to advance development and training for North Rupununi.
Rehabilitation works to the tune of $25 million will also be done at the Learning and Resource Centre for BIT at Unity, Mahaica.
“The intention for the Unity building is to utilise it as a training centre to certify and accredit persons who already have a skill.
“So, we have persons who are carpenters, masons, and electricians who don’t have the requisite certification and qualifications,” he had informed the Committee of Supply.

Some $10 million has also been allocated for the completion of rehabilitation works at the Bartica Learning Resource Centre for the training of BIT students.
This initiative aligns with the government’s policy of delivering technical and vocational training programmes which aim to address the demand for skills in various sectors.

Minister Hamilton said currently, BIT offers many skills-training programmes that are accessible to citizens countrywide.
He said these programmes were mostly centred on the coastland and its environs, and were not available to persons elsewhere.
This, he noted, changed when the PPP/C administration assumed office in August 2020. This move was to ensure that the programmes are more inclusive, and accessible to all citizens.

“BIT is available in every region and sub-region of this country. Every hinterland region, river, every creek, and so the expansion you talk about has already happened…the expansion started in August 2020,” Hamilton added.
In relation to training, he highlighted that some 5,600 persons graduated from BIT programmes in 2022.
He said the government remains committed to providing the necessary support for persons to be employed or to become entrepreneurs.

This year, BIT intends to train almost 8,000 persons countrywide.