After eight months of rigorous training, the first cohort of 365 students have successfully completed the One Guyana Digital programme and will soon graduate and be awarded high-paying jobs.
Upon successful completion of the programme, students gain knowledge and insight and are able to construct websites and mobile applications, from end-to-end by using various language and tools, create and customize responsive web pages using a variety of languages and full stack developers’ tools as well as design a dynamic database/data store for retrieval of data.
The jobs will enable them to market the websites and apps which were built overtime, covering areas such as waste management, medical monitoring, online tutoring and even sale of items.
Thus far, President Irfaan Ali said hundreds of job opportunities are lined up for graduates of the programme with salaries ranging from US$30,000 to US$40,000, annually.
The job titles include junior software developer, front end designers and mobile app developer with employers such as banks, insurance companies and commerce companies.
Under the President Ali-led initiative, the students were trained at the Toronto Metropolitan University through a partnership between the Government of Guyana and Canada.
A group of nine of the students from this batch had the opportunity to present their projects to President Dr Irfaan Ali at his official residence on Tuesday.
In his address to the students, President Ali urged more young people to take advantage of the programme.
“This is what we were talking about when we said we want the highest-skilled human resource asset in Guyana.
“This is aimed at encouraging more Guyanese, younger Guyanese to join the programme because we are investing heavily in the programme…as much young people, as much Guyanese, as possible,” Dr Ali said.
He noted that the initiative will soon be expanded to One Caribbean Digital, so that persons from countries across the region will be able to participate.
“You are really the trail blazers….You will take us across the Caribbean,” President Ali told the students.
THE PROGRAMME
The programme which was launched in February, commenced in May 2024 and lasted for eight months.
The first batch is made up of 500 students. The second cohort of the other 135 are currently wrapping up training.
Minister of Local Government and Regional Development, Sonia Parag, who played a vital role while serving as the Public Service Minister in rolling out the programme, told the students that the programme was designed so that participants will be able to gain “quality” skills.
“You have used what you have learnt in the most creative and most relevant means for the future of Guyana,” Parag said.
THE NEXT MOVE
Now that the first cohort has completed training, they are awaiting graduation and will receive an internationally recognised certificate.
In the meantime, they are currently undergoing resume writing coaching and will soon commence job interview training after the Christmas holiday. Additionally, they will be trained on how to secure employment contracts using popular job placement portals.
Upon observing the presentations, Finance Minister Dr Ashni Singh said they demonstrate what can be achieved with the acquisition of technical skills.
“You should be thinking not only what jobs you can get…I want to urge you to think about yourself to use your skills now to make IT entrepreneurs of yourself and/or employ persons if you want.
“Think about how you can go out there and market your skills,” Dr Singh told the students.
