- NEWSDAY.CO.TT - A la Une - 26/Jul 16:26

Persad: Government to expand skills training programmes

TERTIARY Education and Skills Training Minister Prakash Persad says government will expand and certify skills training offerings in Trinidad and Tobago. He said skills training institutions in the traditional areas and non-traditional areas like cosmetology, massage therapy, etc will be included. He was responding to Newsday following claims by Opposition Leader Pennelope Beckles that the UNC government has suspended programmes under the Youth Training and Employment Partnership Programme (YTEPP). Persad said, "Contrary to what the leader of the opposition is saying, the government is going to expand and certify skills training in many more areas. “We believe that all jobs are honourable and I have said so recently to graduands at St George's College and the SPA Ltd (former School of Practical Accounting) at their graduation ceremonies. These programmes, he said, will be available to youths and the unemployed to ensure that everyone has opportunities to earn a living. On July 24, Beckles said many of her constituents have told her that many YTEPP programmes have either completely stopped or been stalled. She was speaking at a PNM public meeting in Malabar. She said the practice of ending youth programmes was not abnormal for the UNC administration. “When the UNC got into office in 2010, one of the first things they did was close down all the youth camps. “Now some of us don’t understand the significance of those youth camps, because not everybody can be a lower, engineer or doctor. When you want a good plumber and a good electrician, that was part of the vision of the PNM.” She said after returning to office in 2015, a decision was taken to restore them. “Because we understand the importance of opportunities for young people.” She said the multiplicity of programmes developed under the PNM was second to none and applauded former youth development and national service minister Foster Cummings for his work. “There was absolutely no programme that wasn’t developed by YTEPP and MIC. Our responsibility became to explain it all to them, and they themselves became confused when we shared with them all the different programmes we developed. “The OJT programme, developed by the PNM, created opportunities for so many young people to get training on the job and allowed them to go out into the world of work. She said she has continued referring her constituents to the OJT programme and is waiting to see what the new government will do. “Like many other MPs, some of my constituents bought into the story, lock, stock and barrel, that when UNC wins, everybody wins. Now as I walk they’re saying yellow is the curse.” The post Persad: Government to expand skills training programmes appeared first on Trinidad and Tobago Newsday.