20,000 young people engaged in youth summer employment program

This year, nearly 20,000 young people are being engaged in summer employment programmes across multiple government ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs).

This was disclosed by Prime Minister, Dr Andrew Holness, during the June 17 launch of the Youth Summer Employment Programme, at the Jamaica Conference Centre in Downtown Kingston.

“This year’s programme involves 10,000 youth being employed, but that is not the extent of the Government’s summer employment programme. There is a cohort of youngsters being employed through the HEART/NSTA Trust.

” I know the Ministry of Science, Energy, Telecommunications and Transport also has a special programme, but right across the government, all ministries have their own little programme that they employ students and youngsters in the summer,” the Prime Minister said.

Dr. Holness encouraged the young persons involved to use the opportunity provided and capitalise on intangible skills of building character and improved work ethic.

“The value of the experience is what you should appreciate and take away. That experience is going to make you a better person, a more knowledgeable person, a more rounded person, a more prepared person and it is going to give you the edge in the world of work over others who would not have the similar experience. So, the summer work programme is about building character, and it’s about building a better you,” the Prime Minister said.

“The real value is the experience. I want you to approach your job with this zeal for knowledge, this zeal for gaining the experience because, ultimately, the purpose of this exercise is to provide you with a transitioning bridge from the world of school to the world of work,” he added.

He further encouraged them to take a positive view on life. “Don’t follow those persons who, all they do is spew negative, try to ride and stir up discontent and then make promises to you that make no sense and cannot be fulfilled. Be positive about your future, take a positive view, take a prosocial view on life, not an antisocial view on life and then I want you to take a pro-growth view on life,” he encouraged.

Meanwhile, Minister of Local Government and Community Development, Desmond McKenzie, informed that the young men and women, aged 16 to 29, enrolled this year, will be paid $17,000 tax-free per week over their four weeks of employment.

“It is the largest youth employment programme of this nature in the Caribbean and, so far, over 50,000 young people have learned and have earned through the Youth Summer Employment Programme over these nine years,” he said.

The Youth Summer Employment Programme aims to give young persons practical work experience, develop their skills and potentially lead to permanent employment.

Participants can gain practical knowledge, improve their communication and teamwork skills, and develop strong work ethic, which are essential for their personal and professional growth. They are involved in various tasks, including infrastructure mapping, surveying, data collection, which are crucial for improving government databases and services.

The Programme, which is organised by the Ministry of Local Government and Community Development, also enables participants to earn an income, thereby empowering them to become financially independent. This not only helps the beneficiaries to support themselves, but also reduces the burden on their families and contributes to the overall economic well-being of Jamaican households.