THE inaugural cohort of 365 students have successfully completed the One Guyana Digital programme, securing high-paying job opportunities in the tech industry.

After eight months of intensive training, the students are now preparing to graduate and receive internationally recognised certificates.

The initiative, spearheaded by President Dr Irfaan Ali, was carried out in collaboration with Toronto Metropolitan University, through a partnership between the Government of Guyana and Canada.

On Tuesday, a select group of ten students, who have done exceedingly well, had the honour of presenting their projects to the president and two of his cabinet ministers at State House in Georgetown.

The students have gained extensive skills in building websites and mobile applications from start to finish using various programming languages and development tools.

They are proficient in creating responsive web pages, customising them with advanced technologies, and designing dynamic databases for efficient data storage and retrieval.

The job opportunities awaiting these graduates will enable them to apply their expertise by promoting and managing the websites and applications they developed during the programme. These projects address critical areas such as online education, waste management, medical monitoring, and e-commerce, showcasing their versatility and real-world impact.

According to the Guyanese leader, the programme is a diploma course worth six credits, condensed into an eight-month duration instead of the usual three years.
The programme started in May of this year.

President Ali announced that the programme’s graduates will have access to hundreds of job opportunities, offering annual salaries between US$30,000 and US$40,000.

These positions include roles such as junior software developers, front-end designers, and mobile app developers, with employment prospects spanning banks, insurance companies, and commerce enterprises. Notably, he highlighted that the initiative will soon expand into One Caribbean Digital, enabling individuals from countries across the region to participate.

“So far, we have hundreds of job opportunities lined up. This is what we were talking about when we said we wanted to have the highest-skilled human resource asset in Guyana—investing in upskilling, investing in your future. These were young people who had an interest in technology; they got this opportunity, and they grabbed it,” Dr. Ali said.

President Ali, impressed by the students’ dedication to the programme, remarked, “You are trailblazers. As trailblazers, you have allowed us to take this [initiative] to the rest of the Caribbean.”

Meanwhile, Senior Minister in the Office of the President with responsibility for Finance and Public Service, Dr Ashni Singh urged the trainees to grab the opportunities being created for them.

“What you [trainees] demonstrated here is what can be achieved once the opportunity is created.

“What was evident is that, having completed the training programme, every one of you has a level of technological capability that many people in Guyana can’t even conceptualise.”

Dr Singh alluded to apps like Facebook, which were developed by young students.

“Many of these apps that are now global billion-dollar enterprises, were developed by teenagers or young adults who applied their creativity and technical skills…,” he said adding, “I urge you to use your skills now to make IT [Information Technology] entrepreneurs of yourselves and/or employ persons. You should think about how you will go out there and market your skills.”

Minister of Local Government and Regional Development, Sonia Parag, expressed her admiration for the students’ ability to apply their skills in contributing to national development. “You have used what you have learned in the most creative and relevant ways for the future of Guyana.”
The participants are currently undergoing resume-writing coaching and will begin job interview training after the holiday season. The first cohort consists of 500 students. The second group of 135 is set to complete their training shortly.