KINGSTON, Jamaica (JIS) — The government has increased the number of participants in the National Youth Service (NYS) Summer Employment Programme to 8,000 from 6,000, which obtained last year.

Making the disclosure, State Minister in the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information, Floyd Green, said the increase is to enable more young persons to gain experience for the workforce.

“We want to ensure that we give you the requisite experience, so you can get the jobs you want,” the state minister said, while launching the 2017 programme at the Half -Way Tree Transport Centre, in St Andrew, on March 15.

Green also announced that more than 2,000 students will be allowed to be on the programme without having the normal three subjects in the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate exams.

The state minister told the gathering that although some young persons might not have done well in school, they still need the work experience, so “this year, we are targeting more than 2,000 of them”.

Under the programme, participants are placed in organisations to work for three weeks. During placement, they practise the values taught during the orientation process and are paid a stipend by the NYS at the end of their time.

The NYS Summer Employment Programme is geared towards the development of young persons, facilitating opportunities to earn valuable work experience, and making them more productive and efficient employees.

Some 400 persons with disabilities will be engaged in the programme.

According to Chairman of the NYS, Robert Miller, “we are taking the programme even further”.

 “Everybody needs experience, and to be engaged. The (NYS) is all about empowering our youth, giving them the opportunities to shine,” he said.