Labour Minister recommits to working hand in hand with BIT in 2022

As government presses forward with its mandate of enhancing technical and vocational education, Minister of Labour, Honourable Joseph Hamilton on Wednesday, reiterated his commitment to the staff of the Board of Industrial Training (BIT) at the entity’s end- of- year conference.

In his feature address at the conference held in Kitty, Minister Hamilton explained the importance of staff being committed to the task at hand, as it not only improves the efficiency rating of the board, but also touches the lives of the persons who will be involved in the various programmes extended by BIT.

Minister Hamilton told the gathering of high level and mid-level managers, that in order for the work of the board to be effective, employees must “recommit” themselves to the task ahead, and he will ensure their recommitment is honoured.

“What I want you to do is to recommit yourself to the organisation that you serve. I am recommitting to you that I will make the facilities available to ensure that you can execute your task, and I will ensure that no one will come in your way,” the minister expressed.

BIT’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Richard Maughn highlighted that the board, with the motivation and direct guidance from Minister Hamilton, has already ironed out what it wants to achieve in the upcoming year.

Maughn noted that after training more than 2,000 young people in areas such as carpentry, electrical installation and masonry, BIT will continue its stride through the expansion of ongoing programmes, as well as new initiatives.

“If all goes well, the Board of Industrial Training projects to implement training programmes that will benefit some 5,706 individuals throughout the length and breadth of Guyana. Therefore, we are planning to implement…289 training projects throughout 2022,” Maughn revealed.

In this expansion, Maughn said the National Training in Youth Empowerment (NTYE) programme, the Community Support Officers training initiative, along with many other programmes will be expanded and retrofitted to accommodate thousands of other persons who are interested.

Maughn said that among the guiding pieces of documentation that BIT will continue to use is the PPP/C 2020 manifesto.

“The activities of the Board of Industrial Training for 2022 will be guided and is being guided by the Government of Guyana’s manifesto which focuses on enhancing opportunities in technical and vocational education and training as posited in…the 2020 manifesto,” he said.

Recalling the work of the board in 2021, Maughn said as a result of the work conducted,  a total of 1,941 persons graduated from all 10 administrative regions.