SOME 90 trainees are expected to benefit from the Guyana Ignite Programme which was launched on Friday.
The programme, which was launched at Cara Lodge, Quamina Street, Georgetown, is the result of a collaboration among the Board of Industrial Training (BIT), the Male Empowerment Network (MEN) and United States Agency for International Development (USAID)- Youth Resilience Inclusion and Empowerment (Y- RIE) programme.

According to the Board, this collaboration will provide a comprehensive professional development and workforce readiness for at-risk youth in various communities.
The initial stage of the programme will run for 10 weeks and aims to focus on employability skills training with essential topics such as, effective communication, values and goals, self-care, and exploring personal talents and passions.

After the first phase, participants will learn about entrepreneurship, employment and technical and vocational education and training (TVET) programmes.
Minister of Labour Joseph Hamilton, attended the launch accompanied by the Chief Executive Officer of BIT, Richard Maughn; Monitoring and Evaluation Officer, Nateica Garraway; Chargé d’Affaires, Adrienne Galanek, and Tiffany Daniels, Country Director of Y-RIE & Ignite.

In his address, Minister Hamilton implored the active involvement of the private sector to ensure success and expansion of initiatives that are created to improve the lives of the future generation.
“I call upon our private sector partners to open their business for exposure tours, volunteer their time as mentors, and engage more deeply with our programmes. The data from our National Apprenticeship Scheme highlights the limited private sector involvement, which can impact our ability to reduce mismatches in the Labour market,” the Minister stated.

Further to this, the Board of Industrial Training highlighted that the Guyana Ignite programme represents a significant step forward in our mission to empower the youth of Guyana.
“Together, we can create a brighter future where every young person has the opportunity to thrive, contribute to our society, and realise their full potential,” they said.