Apprenticeship programmes in Guyana will provide university level students with experience and improve their ability to integrate into their jobs following a review to re-design the programme.
The review, which has already started, is being conducted by the Ministry of Labour (MoL) and the International Labour Organisation (ILO), led by Dr Hassan Ndahi, the Senor Specialist in skills and employability at ILO’s Caribbean office.
Dr Ndahi, during a brief press conference on Friday at the MoL boardroom, said that the team has already met with stakeholders to discuss the review of the programmes offered and they support the move to make the necessary changes.
“The minister has given us his commitment that he will see through to the end of this redesign phase, which is very critical to Guyana at this particular age where the oil and gas industry will bring many differ rent areas of work within the country…we will be able to boost employment and also provide a skilled workforce that is needed,” Dr Ndahi said.
“They [stakeholders] are willing to engage the Ministry of Labor and Board of Industrial Training, to see that this review comes to a reality where the programme is redesigned because, particularly, the employers have understood the importance of an apprenticeship to provide the skilled workforce that they need, particularly at this time when you have the oil and gas, which is another big sophisticated industry today.”
He emphasized the importance of apprenticeship, noting that schools do not teach about the oil and gas sector but engineering students often transition into the sector. Through apprenticeship, these students would be able to learn and, therefore, understand their role at work before entering the field.
Dr. Ndahi explained that apprenticeship in Guyana usually caters to persons who have Caribbean Examination Council (CXC) certification but following the review, there will be changes which incorporate opportunities for persons at higher levels to become apprentices.
It will also allow persons to gain working experience while studying.
Meanwhile the Labour Minister, Joseph Hamilton said there is a need for the review based on the current state of the workforce. He said that many persons are trained in particular fields but they lack relevant experience for the work.
This makes it harder for them to get jobs with both the private and public sector workplaces because they have the qualifications but don’t have the experience. He said that these programmes need to therefore allow these persons to integrate into the work force with an understanding of the work.
He said a solution to this is, “if we put them in an apprenticeship / internship programme during their final year so they [can learn] the work,” and in that way, they won’t be told they lack experience.
Hamilton also said that with all training opportunities, the role that women will play is important for the development of the society because they occupy the majority of the population.
It is the ministry’s hope that following the review, a new apprenticeship programme will be created to tackle all aspects of the programme that needs to be addressed for better integration into the workplace.
The stakeholders who were approached include the Private Sector Commission, Manufacturing Association, the Guyana Technical Institute (GTI), University of Guyana, Guy Super Training Centre and New Amsterdam Technical Institute.
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