A new training initiative has been launched in two public housing areas, Pinelands and Haynesville, seeking to increase access to technological training and educational opportunities for underprivileged young people aged 18-35.The Pinelands Creative Workshop/Samuel Jackman Prescod Institute of Technology (SJPI) Satellite Programme will offer certified introductory courses in computer information processing, computerised accounting and finance, and computer-aided drafting (AutoCAD).Speaking at the official launch on Monday, Sophia Greaves, CEO of Pinelands Creative Workshop, said the programme aims to “narrow the gap” for those who left school without qualifications or need to re-skill.“This programme is a proactive effort to improve accessibility to educational opportunities, especially for those excluded because they do not have the required entry requirements or were unable to secure qualifications,” she said.Greaves added that poor education and unemployment are major drivers of social exclusion for young people. “We are looking to balance the unevenness as it relates to exclusion, and recognise that education can be used as that instrument to craft out a path to social inclusion.”
