HEART/NSTA Trust fuelling thrust to reduce unemployment

AT THE recent ceremony for the 2023 Prime Minister National Youth Awards for Excellence held on the lawns of Jamaica House, keynote speaker Prime Minister Andrew Holness and Dr Taniesha Ingleton, managing director at the HEART/NSTA Trust, revealed to the gathering developments taking place at the HEART/NSTA Trust that can further reduce the level of unemployment in the country.

“In the realm of skill development and training, my administration has expanded opportunities for young persons to obtain lifelong skills and meaningful employment. Skills are trending world-wide, and we are positioning our youths to take full advantage of it,” the prime minister declared.

As such, technical and vocational training are now free at the HEART/NSTA Trust, and this has resulted in over 120,000 young people registering since the fees were removed. And since the start of the Jamaica National Service Corps programme in June 2017, six thousand two hundred and twenty people have been trained, with 4,259 candidates transitioning into the Jamaica Defence Force.

This year, the HEART/NSTA Trust will also introduce the Community Action for Rewarding Engagement Initiative, which will provide select HEART trainees with a monthly transportation grant of $15,000 and an additional stipend of $13,000 per week to encourage more young people to get certified in a skill and earn from it.

Under the LIFT programme at HEART/NSTA Trust, 506 participants are now receiving on-the-job training through placements in public- and private-sector organisations across the country. This programme has also assisted participants in obtaining important documents for social mobility such as TRN, passports, NIS cards, bank accounts, and driver’s licences.

When the programme was launched August last year, the Government said: “The social mobility of 2,500 young Jamaicans will be bolstered over the next five years under the Government’s $2-billion Learning and Investment for Transformation programme. The initiative will target fifth- and sixth-form graduates and provide sustainable avenues for education, employment, and assimilation into society.”

“Students will also participate in a week-long orientation session in which they will receive life skills, customer service and interview skills, digital literacy and financial literacy training to ensure their smooth transition into society at the end of the programme. They will, subsequently, be engaged in an eight-week skills-training programme that focuses on employability and specific skills identified in the predetermined areas, mentorship and volunteerism.”

“So I call upon you, the brightest minds, the most creative hands, the most compassionate hearts, and the boldest, and most energetic spirit, to rise to the occasion. Embrace the challenge before you with courage and determination. Be the change you wish to see in your beloved country, Jamaica, and together, let us build a future where every young person can thrive, flourish, and realise the star within you,” the prime minister charged at the recent ceremony.

In her greetings, Dr Ingleton said that in the last financial year ending March 31, the national training agency had “achieved a multitude of milestones”. These include the placement of over 10,000 young people into gainful employment throughout the island. This is 30 per cent above the target. In addition, over 55,000 trainees were certified, and there was an “unprecedented” enrolment of 137,411 participants in the programme.

“To our esteemed awardees, your achievements are a beacon of hope, not just for yourselves, but for every young Jamaican watching this evening. You are proof that dedication, hard work, and the touch of Jamaican ingenuity can propel you to unimaginable heights.

“And to all the young people here, remember this, the greatness we see in our awardees resides within each of you. Never underestimate your power to change the world. Pursue your passions with unrelenting drive, embrace challenges with courage, and let your imagination swore,” Dr Ingleton said, in closing.

The HEART/NSTA Trust is a major partner of the Prime Minister National Youth Award for Excellence, and at this year’s iteration, Dr Ingleton presented the awardees with a symbolic cheque for $2.3 million. The money is to be divided equally among all the awardees.