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Last Updated: Feb 13, 2017 - 1:45:37 AM |
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Freeport, Grand Bahama – The Government has launched its second National Training Agency (NTA) in the country. The office is located in Grand Bahama at the National Insurance Board Complex. A ceremony commemorating the event was held on Thursday, March 6.
In attendance was Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. Perry G. Christie, who also delivered the keynote address. Mr. Christie said that the National Training Agency (NTA) is poised to address challenges that exist in the country’s labour market.
“When we look at our country we are able to easily recognize those areas in our national life where we are challenged to find personnel who are qualified for particular posts,” said Mr. Christie. He said that this is where the NTA becomes relevant - to supply the demands of the various industries in the country.
As an illustration of the importance of such an agency, Mr. Christie discussed a meeting he recently had with representatives of the shipyard in New Providence. According to Prime Minister Christie, during that meeting the economic impact of the shipyard was discussed and that based on his discussions with the shipyard representatives, it was evident that the economic impact of certain industries was not taken into consideration by Bahamians.
“We tend not to examine establishments of that kind and we tend not to arrive at conclusions as to their relevance and their economic impact meaning what they contribute to the economics of a country,” said the Prime Minister.
He continued that steps must be taken to ‘cause Bahamians to be qualified to perform the works of viable industries such as the shipyard.’ He pointed out that Bahamians must recognized and appreciate that an industry such as the shipyard have multi-layers of skill requirements – sometimes even in one category of work. This ‘recognition’ would lead to an understanding of what skills are required in the country.
“You begin with trying to understand the various categories, for example, of welding and you ask the question involving the divisions of the categories in welding that a Bahamian could never attain. I say that it is a no brainer. But the question is: what is the process that we should agree upon for Bahamians to arrive at the point where they are qualified for the top positions in welding? That’s the challenge,” said Prime Minister Christie.
He explained that the relevance of a national training agency is that it is supposed to be “directed and driven by’ the needs of the labour market and not necessarily by ‘cultural influences.”
“The culture in our country has led us to a point where we don’t have in large numbers the diesel mechanics, the heavy equipment mechanics and therefore, we come to the shipyard and we find welders coming from all over the world, including Trinidad.”
The NTA, he believes, would address those types of discrepancies.
Minister of Labour & National Insurance, Hon. D. Shane Gibson was also in attendance. He said that the government is leading efforts to do ‘whatever is necessary to improve the socio-economic health of Grand Bahama.’
“Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, the Right Hon. Perry G. Christie, would have indicated - during the mid-year budget – that the government’s plan encompasses a variety of measures including strengthening our key tourism industry, promoting additional foreign direct investment in the country, particularly in Grand Bahama and the family islands, (to revitalize the economy)” said Minister Gibson.
He said that as the government sets out to ‘reposition’ Grand Bahama, measures such as the establishment of NTA on the island would ensure that Grand Bahamians are poised to take advantage of future opportunities,
“This National Training Agency program is like no other competency and vocational based development program in this country. The trainees who participate in this program will be fully equipped to enter the job market,” he said.
He said that in order to ensure the success of the agency, the government has partnered with a cross-section of industries in the country.
“This initiative was undertaken with the participation of industry partners. The objective of the program is not only to promote excellence among youths but also to prepare them to compete with their counterparts in the region.”
According to Mr. Gibson, the government will in the near future establish National Training Agency satellite offices in several more of the major Family Islands.
Minister for Grand Bahama, Hon. Dr. Michael Darville was also in attendance and delivered welcome remarks. He said that he was ‘excited’ that the NTA has been launched in Grand Bahama and is ‘optimistic’ about the impact that it would have on the economic prosperity of the island.
In January of this year, over three hundred persons graduated from the NTA in New Providence after fourteen weeks of intensive training. Forty graduates have already been employed in various industries.
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