For the next six weeks, youths from the North Leeward area will be given the opportunity to broaden their skill sets with Information and Communication Technology training.

The training programme, which is a joint effort between community organization Generation Next, the St Vincent and the Grenadines {{more}} National Centre of Technological Innovation and Columbus Communications Inc, will target over 20 youngsters from the North Leeward community and cover topics including the use of Microsoft Word, Access and Excel, as well as web design.

There will also be a session on job readiness, where persons will learn how to prepare curriculum vitae, their cover letter and how to prepare themselves for interviews.

At the opening ceremony this week, lawyer Carlos James encouraged the youths to make full use of the opportunity being given to them.

As one of the coordinators for the programme, James outlined some of the benefits that will be gained.

“We have the right mix of applicants who would be able to take advantage of the programme. You may wonder why we are doing this programme and essentially, you are from North Leeward which is a rural community and it’s important that we provide the right training. A lot of you have left the CSEC level, waiting to go into college, perhaps. Some of you are looking to go into the job market and we believe that it’s necessary to provide some training,” he said.

“What … we are essentially doing is ensuring that we give you the necessary skill sets, the vocational and technical training, so we are able to bridge the digital divide, whereby young persons from North Leeward will have the same prerequisites of entering the job market.”

Columbus Communications Inc has provided sponsorship of EC$4,000 for this programme.

Marketing and communications manager Corey Garrett urged participants to hone the skills that they will learn, as they will play an important role in their future.

“Columbus was extremely pleased and excited to be part of such a community initiative, which will further empower youths with needed vocational training,” he said.

“Columbus has and will maintain its commitment to the public of SVG, as we seek to further conquer the digital divide. With the support of community based groups such as this, we will utilize all technology accessible to us to bridge these gaps to make all ready to traverse the ICT landscape in SVG.”

The programme is being facilitated by Marlo Browne and Beverly Buchannan of SVGNCTI and is expected to relocate from Kingstown to a venue closer to North Leeward, so that more persons can take part.(BK)