“We want companies to be able to find the skills they are looking for” – Finance Minister

…as 108 graduate from BIT training

The Government is working to ensure that the private sector has access to a skilled workforce to meet its operational needs. This was stated by Senior Minister in the Office of the President with Responsibility for Finance, Dr Ashni Singh. He made the remarks on Saturday at the University of Guyana (UG) Berbice Campus, while addressing graduates of the Board of Industrial Training (BIT). The graduates had successfully completed technical and vocational programmes at the Upper Corentyne Industrial Training Institute (UCITI) and the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) Training Centre at Port Mourant (PMTC), in areas such as welding and fabrication, refrigeration and air conditioning, electrical installation, and motor vehicle servicing and repairs.

From UCITI, 25 graduated after completing a course in refrigeration and air conditioning; and 12 after completing a welding and fabricating course. There were 19 who graduated from the motor vehicle servicing and repairs course, and a similar number from the refrigeration and air conditioning class at PMTC.
PMTC also saw 18 receiving certificates after successfully completing a course in electrical installation, and 15 in welding and fabricating.
In all, 88 males and 20 females graduated from BIT courses.
“Every single one of these areas in which you would have studied, we cannot find enough people with skills in these areas. Every single company that I speak to tells me that they are looking for workers with skills; with relevant skills to their operations, and they cannot find enough people,” Minister Singh told the graduates.
He pointed out that through BIT, 300 forklift operators were recently trained, and they were quickly swallowed up by companies seeking workers.
“Right now, companies cannot find enough workers with skills,” Minister Singh noted, adding that the current situation exists because those skill sets are in high demand.
“You live in an era of opportunity, and the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) Government will continue over the next five years, and even beyond, to create opportunities for you,” the Minister added, while noting that the task of seizing those opportunities, of equipping one’s self to take advantage of those opportunities, lies with each individual.
“You have to take those opportunities and to convert them into economic well-being and prosperity for yourself. That responsibility is a responsibility that rests with you individually, and ultimately that is what is going to determine your success.”
The programmes were organised through the Finance Ministry with funding from Basic Needs Trust Fund (BNTF) and executed by BIT through its collaborating partners PMTC and UCITI.