Geospatial technology programme to start in January

The HEART Trust/ NTA has partnered with the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation to develop a geospatial technology-centred training programme, which will become available to the public in January 2019.

This was disclosed by director of the Learning Resources Development Department at the HEART Trust/NTA, Dr Henry Gray, recently.

"We have partnered with the ministry to develop the Geomatics and Geospatial Level Two Programme. This programme will develop key competencies to operate geographic information system (GIS) applications, develop spreadsheets from geospatial data, and also produce computer-aided drawings," Dr Gray said.

The programme will also develop key competencies to provide support with geospatial field activities; collect, verify and store geospatial data; and interpret, collate and maintain such data.

The Geomatics and Geospatial Level Two Programme will last six to nine months, or 1,095 hours, and will be offered at five HEART/Trust institutions across the island.

They are:

• The HEART College of Innovation and Technology in Montego Bay, St James

• The HEART College of Construction Services in Portmore, St Catherine

• The South West Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Institutes in Newport, Manchester, and Junction, St Elizabeth

• The Ebony Park HEART Academy in Toll Gate, Clarendon.

Great contribution

Dr Gray noted that the trainees will be able to contribute to the logistic and transportation development of the country.

"They will also support traffic management, agriculture, security, and information and communication technologies, making Jamaica the place of choice to live, work, raise families and do business," he detailed.

Persons with the National Vocational Qualification of Jamaica (NVQ-J) certificate at Level One, two Caribbean Secondary Education Certificates (CSEC) subjects, or two General Certificates of Education (GCE) subjects can access this Level Two programme.

However, basic education in information technology and geography are required.

The Geomatics and Geospatial programme comes with a Level Two NVQ-J certificate, which is a technicians' certificate. Graduates can then go on to pursue the Level Three programme, which builds supervisory competencies.

"At this time, we are partnering with the Caribbean Maritime University, and we intend to extend our partnership to include the Northern Caribbean University and the University of the West Indies, and we are optimistic that the managers' programme will be developed soon after that," Dr Gray said.