The Ministry of Education, Youth and Information (MOEYI), in an effort to boost Jamaica’s skilled workforce, has introduced a new Associate Degree in Occupational Studies to enhance its Upskilling and Retooling programme. Launched in December 2016, by the Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, the Associate Degree aims to create higher-learning opportunities for Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) students.

Approximately 10,000 HEART Trust/NTA trainees are slated to benefit from a three-year Absorptive Capacity programme which is to commence on April 1, 2017 in select tertiary institutions across the island. Students are to undergo skills training offered in industry-driven areas targeted for economic growth including Business Process Outsourcing, Agriculture, Transportation and Logistics and Hospitality Services. The programme is being implemented through a partnership between the Joint Committee for Tertiary Education (JCTE) and the HEART Trust/NTA in light of demands for increased access to higher learning skills training opportunities.

One hundred and twenty young people are being trained for jobs in the Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) sector this summer under the Digital Youth Employment Initiative.