The Ministry of Labour and Social Security has secured more employment opportunities in Canada for Jamaican workers in non-traditional areas such as automotive, health care, tourism/hospitality and other trades.

Approximately 250 practical nurses are receiving training at the Pre-University School in Kingston, Portmore and Montego Bay, and the Brown's Town Community College in St Ann. These practical nurses are being trained based on the Canadian curriculum to facilitate easy certification to work abroad.

Minister of Labour and Social Security Hon Pearnel Charles said talks were well advanced with existing and prospective employers in the Canadian provinces of Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, Manitoba and Alberta.

Charles said that, arising from his visit to Canada last week (August 23-30), a delegation of health-care employers is scheduled to visit the island from September 26-27 to recruit from among the practical nurses in training here.

Meanwhile, 18 culinary wor-kers, who left Jamaica in June for training at the Red River College in Manitoba, will embark on 16 weeks of paid practical experience, after which, they will return to the college to complete their training.

Successful trainees will obtain the Red Seal certification (Can-ada's highest trade credential) allowing them to live and work there. Certified trainees have the option of applying for Canadian residency.

Certification

In addition, 20 heavy-duty bus dri-vers who left Jam-aica in April have completed their training, received Red Seal certification and are now employed to the Coast Mountain Bus Company in Van-couver. The ministry is currently processing another batch of 20 heavy-duty drivers who will leave for Canada in January 2010.

Under the traditional overseas agricultural programme, approximately 1,300 farm workers are set to depart from the island during September.

Up to the end of August, approximately 4,721 farm wor-kers travelled to Canada.