#Nassau, July 1, 2019 – Bahamas – Hundreds of participants of the
Government’s National Job Creation and Skills Enhancement Programme have been
re-engaged for the second year of the employment initiative, beginning Monday 8
July, said Minister of Public Service and National Insurance, the Hon. Brensil
Rolle.
The programme, better known as the 52-week job
programme, started in August 2018 and came to an end on 30 June 2019. One thousand
participants have benefited from the initiative so far, according to Minister
Rolle.
“Because of the hard work performed by the
programme’s participants and the feedback we’ve received from the employers,
the Government has decided to renew the programme for another year,” said Mr.
Rolle.
“We made a commitment that we would
re-engage all participants who received a satisfactory report from the various
government ministries and departments, and the private sector,” said Minister
Rolle.
Mr. Rolle said his ministry is in the
process of disseminating re-engagement letters to participants who are
scheduled to return to work on Monday, 8 July.
The National Job Creation and Skills
Enhancement Programme is a job initiative of the Government of The Bahamas established
to provide the unemployed between the ages of 19 and 30 with hands-on skills
aimed at enhancing their ability to find gainful employment.
The programme is designed to include
elements of classroom learning through partnerships with the Ministry of
Education and the Bahamas Technical and Vocational Institute (BTVI); paid
internships in the areas of construction, plumbing, electrical installation,
hospitality, fashion design, business and information technology; and
opportunities for professional certifications.
The National Training Agency provides
participants with soft skills and hospitality training, and BTVI provides
additional workforce readiness training and a 22-week internship with
independent professionals. Private sector companies provide training for
participants in a variety of areas, including law, construction, customer
service and home maintenance.
Mr. Rolle said programme participants were
placed in the public and private sector in New Providence, Grand Bahama and all
of the Family Islands.
He estimated that about 200 participants,
engaged by the Ministry of Health, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Youth,
Sports and Culture, the Passport Office and the Registrar General’s Department,
will work through the week-long break due to the demands of the agencies.
Minister Rolle said that as a direct result of the National Job Creation and Skills Enhancement Programme, many participants have been offered full-time employment in the private sector, and government ministries and departments, including the Water and Sewerage Corporation and the National Insurance Board.
Release: Ministry of the Public Service and National Insurance
Commonwealth of The Bahamas