Applications for new Jamaica House Fellows open March 26

Applications open on March 26 for the new cohort of participants in the Jamaica House Fellowship Programme.

The initiative, launched by Prime Minister Andrew Holness in 2016, is geared at exposing bright, young talent to public administration, in the hope that they will make public service their first career choice.

Holness, in his contribution to the 2019-2020 Budget Debate in the House of Representatives on Tuesday, invited qualified candidates to apply to serve as “full-time, paid Jamaica House Fellows at the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM)”.

First cohort finished

He noted that members of the first cohort, which started in March 2017, have completed their two-year tenure.

“The participants have benefited tremendously, growing personally and professionally while making significant and impactful contributions to policies and programmes of national importance,” he said.

The prime minister said that the group of youngsters served in key areas such as: the Economic Growth Council, through the monitoring of targets under Jamaica’s agreement with the International Monetary Fund; the National Identification System; Housing, Opportunity, Production, Employment Programme; the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade; and the OPM.

“I am sure we will be getting a few permanent secretaries, directors general, and chief technical officers from this programme. Some have already found positions in ministries,” he told the House.

He said that the second cohort of participants is expected to have an “even richer experience” as lessons have been learnt,which will facilitate necessary improvements.