Hundreds of participants of the government’s National Job Creation and Skills Enhancement Programme have been re-engaged for the second year of the employment initiative, beginning  July 8, 2019,  said Minister of Public Service and National Insurance Brensil Rolle.

The programme, better known as the 52-week job programme, started in August 2018 and came to an end on 30 June 2019. One thousand participants have benefited from the initiative so far, according to Minister Rolle.

“Because of the hard work performed by the programme’s participants and the feedback we’ve received from the employers, the government has decided to renew the programme for another year,” said Mr. Rolle.

“We made a commitment that we would re-engage all participants who received a satisfactory report from the various government ministries and departments, and the private sector.”

Mr. Rolle said his ministry is in the process of disseminating re-engagement letters to participants who are scheduled to return to work on Monday, July 8. 

The National Job Creation and Skills Enhancement Programme is a job initiative of the Government of The Bahamas established to provide the unemployed between the ages of 19 and 30 with hands-on skills aimed at enhancing their ability to find gainful employment.

The programme is designed to include elements of classroom learning through partnerships with the Ministry of Education and the Bahamas Technical and Vocational Institute (BTVI), paid internships in the areas of construction, plumbing, electrical installation, hospitality, fashion design, business and information technology and opportunities for professional certifications.

The National Training Agency provides participants with soft skills and hospitality training, and BTVI provides additional workforce readiness training and a 22-week internship with independent professionals. 

Private sector companies provide training for participants in a variety of areas, including law, construction, customer service and home maintenance.

Mr. Rolle said programme participants were placed in the public and private sector in New Providence, Grand Bahama and all of the Family Islands.

He estimated that about 200 participants, engaged by the Ministry of Health, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture, the Passport Office and the Registrar General’s Department, will work through the week-long break due to the demands of the agencies.

Minister Rolle said as a direct result of the National Job Creation and Skills Enhancement Programme, many participants have been offered full-time employment in the private sector and government ministries and departments, including the Water and Sewerage Corporation and the National Insurance Board.