Programme to help retool persons
THE just launched Strengthening Human and Social Development in Barbados Programme will address the issue of unemployment by reskilling and retooling participants of the programme who have low numeracy and literacy skills.
That’s according to Minister of Social Care, Constituency Empowerment and Community Development, Steven Blackett, who noted that the efforts will fall under Component Two of the programme. Speaking at the launch of the initiative at the Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Centre recently, Minister Blackett explained that the initiative will provide career counselling services and technical training, which are intended to enable the beneficiaries of the Government’s Identifi-cation, Stabilisation, Enablement and Empowerment (ISEE) Bridge Programme, retrenched workers and vulnerable youth between the ages of 16 and 30 to enter and re-enter the workforce. Moreover, he added that they will be equipped with technical and core skills necessary for the workplace.
“The core skills to be developed will include communication, numeracy and literacy, problem solving and interpersonal skills to enhance their marketability, as these skills are all demanded by employers,” he said.
The Social Care Minister’s comments came as he made reference to the Human Resource Development (HRD) Strategy, which he noted has been working towards developing human and social capital, through an enhanced, demand-driven, educational system, which enables knowledge sharing and promotes science, innovation and research.
“The HRD Strategy incorporates the Skills for the Future Programme and it is through linkages with this programme that the labour market demands will be ascertained, which will inform priorities in Component Two of our project,” he said.
With that in mind, the Minister disclosed that the programme will also concentrate on providing Technical, Vocational and Educational Training. He indicated that to achieve that, they will collaborate with the main tertiary institutions on the island. (JRT)