Upskilling of nurses, labour shortage to be addressed as Gov’t., Coursera launch learning platform

By Sharda Bacchus

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Thousands of nurses can now be upskilled and other persons now have the opportunity to be equipped with the necessary skills and knowledge enabling them to work in the high demand sectors through free online courses offered by US-based online course provider, Coursera Inc.

This is made possible as the Government of Guyana in collaboration with Coursera Inc. on Friday launched the Guyana Coursera platform.

The initiative forms part of the government’s effort of ensuring there is equal access to education for all.

With over 6,000 courses offered, the initiative will pave the way for Guyanese to further their studies in various fields, free of cost.

Among other things, the programme will address the long-standing challenge of upskilling of nurses.

Already, more than 1,000 nurses are currently enrolled in the registered nursing programme while 800 nursing assistants will be trained.

Additionally, the labour shortage in the country is also likely to be addressed, equipping citizens with the necessary skills needed to acquire jobs in sectors such as oil and infrastructure.

In delivering the feature address at the launch held at the National Stadium at Providence, President Dr Irfaan Ali said the programme is geared at providing educational opportunities to every citizen, allowing them to pursue their studies with the use of cutting edge technology.

“Three years ago…I said we will deliver first-world, first-class education in this country. But that is not all…We said we will deliver first-world, first-class education accessible to every citizen of this country.

“At the center to our development is human transformation…and human transformation is not only transforming only the bright…it’s transforming every human asset in the country. Persons who are home, never had the opportunity to study,” President Ali said.

And in the era where technology is taking charge, President Ali challenged Coursera to utilise the platform to create the first biodiversity programme in the forest.

“I am throwing out a challenge to Coursera that with available technology before us, that is AI and virtual experiences, that today we can use your platform to design the first specialised degree and post-graduate degree programme in bio-diversity studies in our forest,” President Ali said.

According to President Ali, the goal is to position Guyana as the main hub for Latin America and the Caribbean for Coursera.

“To do this we have to work on building a diversified platform that would cater for all language and all requirement of the region,” the President said.

Chief Executive Officer of Coursera, Jeff Maggioncalda said the programme is designed to enable unprecedented access to high-quality learning, equipping citizens with skills and credentials needed to advance their careers and unlock new employment opportunities.

According to Maggioncalda, through the initiative, citizens have access to over thousands of online courses from top universities across the world.

“Whether you are looking for a job, exploring career skills or building new skills to keep up with your careers, this fast changing world demands high quality education,” he said.

In addition, he said the programme includes access to over 50 professional certificates from industry leaders, designed to prepare individual with no prior work experience with skills and abilities to do the most demanding jobs, in the digital.

“In Guyana fast growing industries like oil, infrastructure, tourism and agriculture are creating new job opportunities but employers are struggling to find enough local talent with the skills that are needed to meet these growing demands,” Maggioncalda said.

The programme is more than just an education programme but is a gateway for any individual to unlock their full potential.

Coursera partners with over 325 leading universities, offering thousands of high quality courses in the various fields. Upon completion of training, individuals are certified.