Labour ministry preparing 60 youngsters from Denham Town for job market

Sixty youths from the zone of special operations (ZOSO) in Denham Town, Kingston, are benefiting from training geared towards preparing them for the job market.

The intervention, being carried out by the Ministry of Labour and Social Security, got under way on Wednesday with registration, orientation, and a motivational session at the Medallion Hall Hotel in St Andrew.

Acting Director of the Electronic Labour Exchange Department in the Ministry Dahlia Green said that the objective is to prepare them for opportunities in the public and private sectors.

She said that the ministry cares about the welfare of youths who have been affected by violence and other challenges.

"We want to expose them to a change of atmosphere, and we are preparing them for the world of work. We realise that these persons are in different areas and they may not know that there are other opportunities out there, so we want them to be exposed," she added.

Green said that the training will continue with a five-day workshop from July 9 to 13 at the ministry's offices at 1F North Street.

"Different persons will be coming in to teach different topics, for example, rÈsumÈ writing, how to handle an interview, how to dress for work, and what to expect in the workplace," she said.

She said that at the end of the session, "we will be having a mini job fair, where employers will be coming in to interview these persons and, hopefully, at the end of that, they will be selected for employment".

Prime Minister Andrew Holness declared Denham Town a ZOSO on October 17, 2017, under the Law Reform (Zones of Special Operations) (Special Security and Community Development Measures) Act.

The law seeks to contain crime while safeguarding the human rights of residents and promoting community development through social-intervention initiatives in communities where a zone operates.