Endless opportunities in ICT
─ Min. Hughes tells young ICT trainees in Linden
─ “70% of the jobs in 2025 will require that you know some ICT skills”
DPI, Guyana, Monday, February 4, 2019
Minister of Public Telecommunications, Catherine Hughes was in Linden over the weekend and took the opportunity to meet with those individuals who are currently enrolled in an ongoing Information and Communications Technology (ICT) workshop.
The ICT training programme is an initiative coming out of the Office of the First Lady, Mrs. Sandra Granger, in collaboration with the Ministry of Social Protection’s Board of Industrial Training (BIT) and seeks to empower individuals especially youths between the ages of 17-35 with a skill that is becoming high in demand.
Making brief remarks to the trainees, Minister Hughes highlighted how timely the training is and how critical it can be to making career choices.
“Seventy per cent of the jobs in 2025 will require that you know some ICT skills… The world has changed and the way the world is structured today is that everybody has the opportunity to be an entrepreneur and that is what the skills in this area gives you the opportunity to be.”
Noting that training such as this will equip and re-tool the current and future workforce, the minister also highlighted the endless possibilities that come with being ICT competent since jobs which will be created throughout all sectors.
She encouraged the young people to become entrepreneurs and utilise all platforms available via the internet and otherwise to establish, markets and manage small businesses as this is the direction in which the world is moving.
One of the facilitators of the workshop, Oveanne Manswell-Austin was appreciative of the minister’s visit. She opined that it is helpful to have the Public Telecommunications Minister come and share with the youths the possibilities within the ICT sector. Emphasising this, she said, “…they are going to get jobs not only in Guyana but in the Caribbean [as well].”
Along with basic ICT skills, the trainees will also learn Numeracy, literacy, microenterprise management, sexual and reproductive health and STEM robotics. Some of them shared their views on being a part of the programme.
Priya Persaud, who is keenly working towards becoming the valedictorian, says she would like to own her company and manage it effectively with the tools gained during these four weeks.
Another, Douquon Wilson said, “After this training, I would like to go and further my studies in Environmental Science, the ICT part will come in very handy since its very important in all fields because everything is getting with IT.”
This third ICT training exercise in Linden which commenced on January 28 is expected to conclude on February 22, 2019.
Delicia Haynes
Images: Marceano Naraine