Over 50 persons have registered for free online courses in repair and maintenance of heavy machinery being offered through a collaboration between the Machinery Corporation of Guyana Limited (MA-CORP) and the Ministry of Public Tele-communications (MoPT).
According to a Department of Public Information (DPI) press release, the courses are being facilitated by MACORP under its Caterpillar ‘Technicians for the Caribbean’ programme, while the Minis-try will provide support for access to computer systems and the internet.
The government has established over 170 Information and Communications Technology (ICT) hubs in communities across the country. These hubs, along with the Arthur Chung Conference Centre (ACCC) will be used as centres for the training programme. Persons will be present at the various locations to offer guidance.
The certified training programme was officially launched on Monday at the ACCC.
MACORP’s Learning Centre Administrator Weneta Pooran explained that all the courses are virtual, and can be accessed from the comfort of the participants’ homes, school, library, an internet hub or from anywhere there is an internet connection. The curriculum consists of 18 courses: four introductory courses, ten Level-1 courses and four Level-2 courses. It can be completed with three to six months. Upon completion, participants will be certified and can move on to the practical aspect of the programme at MACORP.
The participants can use their newly
acquired knowledge and certificate of completion to gain employment in the auto, trucking or heavy equipment field or get promoted if they are already employed.
This year, MACORP signed Memorandums of Understanding with the Public Telecommunications Ministry and the Ministry of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs to offer training to Guyanese youths. Thus far, 961 persons have registered and to date, 41 were certified and moved on to the practical aspect of the programme, the DPI release added.
Akeem Boston, who is employed with Big Boss Transportation Services, was excited to be able to access the free training programme, which he noted was “something a lot of youths don’t have access to.” Boston said that being in the transportation business has made him very committed to the programme. On completion of the course, with his increased knowledge base, he plans to enhance his career.
Seventeen-year-old Shaundel McBeth is one of the few women who expressed interest in the programme. She said that after completing the online programme, her plan is to pursue a career in the field at MACORP. Commending the implementation of the programme, she said, “It’s a great opportunity for young people to get involved in training opportunities and it’s a great way to empower youths and they learn a new skill as well.”
Minister of Public Telecommunications, Catherine Hughes, in her remarks to the participants, said “We know that …the oil and gas industry will not employ hundreds of us, but the key to it is all the additional services that will be required, and already this government has a policy that we are not looking at oil alone. Oil and oil reserves is a means to do so many other things… When you have additional monies coming into your economy then you can give more scholarships… Our vision is to ensure that everybody has an opportunity and that means that when it comes to the industries, we want to build; we must have the technical persons,” Hughes was quoted as saying.
