Nevis, West Indies. ?A Non-Tourist-Trap? Blog About Nevis.

IT Jobs In St. Kitts - Nevis Are The Future

Basseterre, St. Kitts - Nevis
June 17, 2009 (SKNIS)

Thirty unemployed individuals will benefit from a new initiative of Government which links entrepreneurship with the expanding Information Technology (I.T.) sector in St. Kitts.

The project, dubbed ITpreneurship, is designed to create employment for young adults by imparting skills on Microsoft applications; How to Communicate Effectively; Research and Documentation; How to Set Up and Manage a Business; and Webpage Design.

Marlene Phillips of the Ministry of Culture, appeared on this week’s edition of SKNIS’ radio magazine programme Perspectives, and explained that the project was conceptualized by the National Skills Training Programme. Training starts in July and will run for four months.

“At the end of the course, they’re going to set up businesses in several community centers,” Ms. Phillips stated. “…They are going to create a website that will reflect the history, the heritage, the culture of communities around the island.”

The centers chosen to host these companies are in the communities of Old Road, St. Paul’s and Tabernacle. The centers will in effect be a hub that covers three large areas: Middle Island to Boyd’s; Half Way Tree to Dieppe Bay and Parsons Ground to Keys.

“Initially some of the information that will [be posted online] will be gathered during the training course,” said the Ministry of Culture official. “If there is anybody in the community that has a business and wants that showcased on the website, they can pay a fee and have that uploaded.”

This project “exposes the community, it involves the community and it empowers young people to interact [productively] with the community,” she stressed.

Funding has been secured for the initiative from the Organisation of American States (OAS).  The Ministries of Education and Culture is collaborating on project implementation.

Ms. Phillips added that application forms will be issued shortly and will be available at health centers and post offices. Men and women 17 years and older are encouraged to take advantage of this opportunity. Some participants in the computer skills division of the Youth Empowerment through Skills Project (Y.E.S.) will be considered for this new initiative.

She stressed that the ITpreneurship project is very broad as it encompasses IT development on a community level, and embraces the rich culture and heritage of the island, which is a major draw for visitors.

“You can see that this effort is something that is really going to impact the employment rate, and it is … going to support what is happening in the Federation in terms of skills [training], and promoting people’s passion for what they do in this country,” Ms. Phillips concluded.

Additional information is available at 869.467.1396 or 869.465.2855.

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The YES Program Is Paying Dividends

Basseterre, St. Kitts - Nevis
April 08, 2009 (SKNIS)

Approximately 365 young persons have left the unemployment line in St. Kitts under the work experience and job placement Youth Employment through Skills (Y.E.S.) Project.

Director of the National Skills Training Programme (NSTP), Fritzroy Wilkin, told SKNIS that of that number, 287 persons are being equipped with the necessary professional and social skills to function efficiently in a work environment. The remaining seventy eight applicants possessed work experienced and have been attached to various private and public sector agencies.

More than 100 additional persons are set to begin attachments at the parks and beaches unit, while training sessions in barbering and hairdressing are slated to begin soon.

“By next week Friday (April 17) … we will have met the target of 500 persons,” Mr. Wilkin revealed, noting that unexpected developments may result in minor adjustments.

The Y.E.S. project was designed for 500 people, but Government was sensitive to the needs of the community and gave administrators the permission to accommodate as many as possible from the extra numbers.

Workers have been supplied to operate and learn in the field of air condition and refrigeration, auto mechanic, accounting, plumbing, computer, landscaping and electrician.

The NSTP Director noted that arrangements are ongoing to accommodate additional persons and expand training fields. He added that an informal assessment of workers on job attachments to date has been positive.

“Quite a number of individuals have expressed gratitude for being afforded the opportunity to be on the project, because they [realize] that they are benefiting from the training and attachments,” he said, adding that employers are also appreciative.

One such employer is Steve Stanley of Jake’s Garage in Harris’ who told SKNIS that he was impressed with the enthusiasm displayed by the two young men under his charge. “Their performance is really good and they show a lot of interest. I really appreciate this and I am looking at retaining their services after Y.E.S. ends,” he disclosed.

The Y.E.S. project was launched in mid February and caters for young men and women between the ages of 16 to 35.

Related posts:

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St. Kitts - Nevis’ Prime Minister - Dr. Denzil Douglas
Photo By Erasmus Williams

Basseterre, St. Kitts - Nevis
Macrh 24, 2009 (CUOPM)

The Washington-based International Monetary Fund (IMF) is lauding St. Kitts - Nevis for significant reduction in poverty, low unemployment and improved housing conditions.

Federal Minister of State for Information, Sen. the Hon. Nigel Carty said IMF Team Leader, Nancy Wagner, who visited the Federation last week, met with the Federal Cabinet led by Prime Minister Hon. Dr. Denzil L. Douglas; the Premier of Nevis, Hon. Joseph Parry and the Financial Secretaries of the Federal Government and the Nevis Island Administration.

Minister Carty said that the IMF Team Leader commended the government on the achievements outlined in the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) Country Poverty Assessment Report.

“She highlighted the reduction of poverty, the relatively low unemployment rate and the laudable improvement in the quality of housing,” said Minister Carty.

He pointed to the significant statistic highlighted in the CDB report of decrease in the level of indigence or extreme poverty from 11 percent to 1.4 percent over the past 8 years alone.

“This the cabinet believes is highly notable as an achievement over the last eight years,” said Minister Carty.

He disclosed that the IMF team discussed in detail the impact of Hurricane Omar of October 2008, especially in the context of the closure of the Four Seasons Hotel in Nevis.

Matters related to the global financial crisis were also discussed as well as the challenges of the Trinidad-based CL Financial Group.

The Federal government was also lauded for its commitment in the closing of the sugar industry, moving to the market-based method of property assessment, strengthening of tax administration, the increased focus on debt management, strengthening of the debt management capacity of the government and the implementing of specific policies to enable access to the EU sugar grant and favourable interest loan funds.

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