MICROSOFT, through its training partner New Horizons Computer Learning Centers of Jamaica, will assume the training of senior government information technology professionals over the next two years.

The training programme, to begin March, falls under the Microsoft Enterprise Agreement reached between the software giant and Jamaica.

Jamaica has essentially agreed to utilise Microsoft's desktop software across the public sector, in exchange for training and soft terms on its products that are acquired for entities such as schools.
New Horizons Jamaica, located at Liguanea and run by general manager Anna-Kay Lee, has been selected as the "preferred training provider" under the enterprise agreement, said a release on the programme.

New Horizons is itself an international agency with a special relationship with Microsoft globally. The training facility has operated for about 20 years.

Microsoft Jamaica is run by country manager Joseph McKinson.
Under the government programme, to be done in two phases, New Horizons will first train IT staff from the ministries of agriculture, and commerce, science and technology. Phase two will cover staff from other ministries.

"The intent of training at the ministry level is to develop a cadre of expertise at the top which will in turn lend support to their respective agencies," said Michael duQuesnay, chief executive officer of the government's Central Information Technology Office (CITO).

CITO has the responsibility of administering the enterprise agreement, signed in June 2004.

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