Three hundred and forty-three highly trained craftsmen and women graduated from the first batch of the HEART/Jamalco training and certification programme, and are now ready to take on jobs as competent personnel on major projects.

The graduation ceremony, which was held at the Kendal Conference Centre in Manchester, saw men and women being awarded with their NCTVET certificates in the areas of industrial electrical maintenance, welding and fabrication, carpentry, steel fixing and supervisory leadership.

In delivering the graduation report, Robert Green, director for the Strategic Workforce Development at Breadnut Valley in Clarendon, where the training of the men and women took place, said the graduation of the 343 meant that, not only would the Jamalco workforce for which the group was specifically trained benefit, but all of Jamaica would be set to gain from their certification.

'World-class level'

He said that, in two years, the group of graduates had met the requirements to be certified at Level 3 by the NCTVET, representing the largest number of higher level graduands to be certified at 'world-class level' in the 25 years of HEART's existence.

Robert Gregory, former executive director of HEART Trust/NTA, now president of Jamaica Trade and Invest, who was guest speaker at the graduation, said the graduating of the group represented an explosion in education and training.

Mr. Gregory added that, as investments continue to come to Jamaica, there would be an even greater demand for the training and certification of more skilled workers to take on the jobs that are created.

"Investments are happening and, increasingly, the world is receiving and believing the message that today's Jamaica means business," he said. "They are beginning to see us as more than a tourism destination, but as a place where they can come and do business."

- George Henry