The Board of Industrial Training (BIT) has certified 23 youths from Baracara in Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) in boat building, after they would have completed a four-month training programme to that effect.
The constructed boat which was donated to the community
A 30-foot wooden boat, which was built by the students, was donated to the residents within the community, along with a 75 horsepower engine to assist residents with their daily transportation.
In addition to the construction skills which they would have acquired, the participants received courses in Mathematics, English, Microenterprise, Sexual Reproductive Health, and Operational and Health Safety.
BIT Chairman Clinton Williams remarked that this was made possible through the National Training Programme for Youth Empowerment (NYTE) programme, which was launched in 2006 with the objective of providing technical and vocational training to at-risk youths.
“The programmes are introduced to every region in Guyana and are designed to target vulnerable groups, such as school dropouts and youths from depressed communities,” Williams said.
He estimated that by the end of this year, a total of 2500 persons would’ve been trained in areas such as, forestry, home economics, health sciences, mechanical and introductory engineering, garment construction, information communication technology (ICT), catering among other fields. Throughout this time, they have managed to extend these programmes across other public institutions.
“We have expanded our relationship over the years by using all five of the Government Technical Institutes, two Industrial Training Centres, GuySuCo Training School at Port Mourant, the Forestry Training Centre and other recognised Non-Government Organisations and privately-owned workshops,” the Chairman related.
This boat building project was the first of its kind for Region Six and materialised to transform the lives of residents. The vessel will serve the residents of the small farming village in transporting agriculture produce to the coastland, since farming is the community’s main economic source.
Williams disclosed that in the near future, collaborative efforts will be in placed between his organisation and US-oil giant ExxonMobil to roll out three boat building programmes in other riverine communities along Regions Six and Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam). This is part of the plan to fill the gap in demanded technical skills and transportation logistics.
The Board has extended an invite to various stakeholders for collaboration to offer vocational training to persons who are differently-abled. Last June, 128 persons were trained in computer repairs, job access, Job Access with Speech (JAWS) Programme, cosmetology, computer skills training, leather craft, rope mat making, basic sewing and wood working.
