The Youth Entrepreneurial Skills Training (YEST) programme, an initiative under the aegis of the Culture, Youth and Sport Ministry continues to impact favourably on youths across Guyana, through its technical and vocational skill areas offered at the residential Kuru Kuru Training Centre, the non-residential Sophia Training Centre, and the Smythfield Drop-in Centre at Vryman’s Erven.
In 2013, 250 persons from the 10 administrative regions graduated from the Kuru Kuru Training Centre; 120 from the Sophia Training Centre; and 50 from Smythfield, joining the more than 2430 others who would have benefitted since the introduction of the programme in 2000, according to the Government Information Agency (GINA).
During a recent press conference, Culture, Youth and Sport Minister, Dr Frank Anthony highlighted that the programme has seen tremendous success over the past years.
“A lot of these students, sometimes you would see them drop out of school and these three facilities are giving them a second opportunity at getting a skill and becoming employable,” he said.
Youths between the ages of 16–25 years are trained in skills such as welding and fabrication, information technology, garment construction, business studies, carpentry, electrical installation, joinery, masonry, motor mechanics and plumbing. They also benefit from remedial English and mathematics.
At the New Opportunity Corps (NOC), Guyana’s only juvenile correctional facility, 135 students are benefitting from the same curriculum as that offered at Kuru Kuru since 2012; while at the latter learning facility, 32 students acquired their driver’s licences, after successfully completing their driver’s education examination, conducted by the Police Traffic Department during 2013.
Speaking further, Dr Anthony stated that the programme is playing a pivotal role in helping young people acquire skills for employment purposes, adding that the centre can expect major developments in 2014, such as the introduction of computer repairs, and expansion of the institution to accommodate more students.
