Despite the different economic constraints facing the government during the covid19 pandemic, the Prime Minister says he is confident that various training programmes will go a long way to enhancing the country's economic capabilities.
Speaking during the launch of a national apprenticeship programme for the non-energy manufacturing sector at the MIC-IT compound, Macoya, on Thursday afternoon, Dr Rowley said he was encouraged by the number of participants in the programme.
Citing the need for developing a more skilled workforce to drive the post-pandemic economy, Rowley praised the trainees for their decision to join the programme and implored them to make full use of the mentoring available to them for the programme's three year term.
He added that the government continues to place a high priority on education and skills training and would make resources available to improve the quality of their programmes.
[caption id="attachment_956787" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Prime Minister Keith Rowley takes a photo with students during the launch of the Manufacturing Apprenticeship Programme (MAP) at MIC-IT's Head Office, Macoya, Thursday. - AYANNA KINSALE[/caption]
"Contribute that three years to the rest of the years of your long life.
"I have every confidence that your teachers, your mentors and guides have what it takes to make you world-class trainees and specialists in the skills that you are training, you will strengthen our country in a way that no steel can.
"Your success is the success of TT and we are waiting at the end of your period when you will confidently step into the workplace and take our country forward."
Referring to data published by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) which suggested that 530 million jobs should be created to address unemployment, Rowley said such projects would make a difference and were in line with the government's roadmap to recovery.
He also noted that the programme would also be considered during a labour-market report which would identify weaknesses and areas for improvement in certain manufacturing sub-sectors.
[caption id="attachment_956788" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Prime Minister Keith Rowley looks at a CNC lathe during a tour of the MIC-IT's Advanced Workshop and Macoya Workforce Development Centre (MWDC) in Macoya, Thursday. - AYANNA KINSALE[/caption]
Rowley said digitisation and innovation were the two major focuses of the government's roadmap to recovery and said, given the interest shown by the public in enrolling, a similar programme would also be introduced in wood-working.
"This apprenticeship programme for wood and wood-products manufacturing sub-sector is expected to result in the transformation of that sub-sector, leading to the advancement of higher value-added wood-related manufacturing. And it can also provide an opportunity to diversify TT's manufacturing profile, expanding from the production of food and beverage which currently dominates TT's non-energy manufacturing."
During her address, Minister of Trade and
