KINGSTON, Jamaica (JIS) — State Minister for Education, Youth and Information, Floyd Green, is encouraging students to explore careers in computer-based fields, which can create wealth for them.

“There are so many people in Jamaica making millions now and they barely leave their home,” he pointed out.

Citing for example the web-based profession of social media manager, he noted that almost every company now has this position, which did not exist five years ago.

The state minister was speaking at a career expo hosted by the International University of the Caribbean (IUC) at its Old Hope Road location in St Andrew yesterday.

He noted that information is readily available on the Internet on the many career opportunities “so you have no excuse not to know about them”.

Green pointed out that there are teachers in Jamaica who are offering English classes online to persons in Japan and China, who are paying for this service in US currency.

He advised students, in choosing a career, to find what they are passionate about, what they are good at and love “and see if you can align that what you want to do in life”.  

The state minister further advised that writing a five-year plan for their lives can help to jump-start this process.

He urged students to believe in themselves, noting that the only way they will be successful at what they do is to have confidence in their abilities.

“Confidence makes the difference. Approach life with that self-belief and confidence that, regardless of circumstances, you were born to be great, and you’re going to be great,” he stressed.

The state minister noted that persons who have achieved success did not necessarily have easy lives, and not everything went according to plan, but “you have to keep believing that despite the setback and the circumstances, you are going to make it”.

He said many Jamaicans from very humble beginnings have gone on to do great things, due to belief in their abilities, and that this greatness is attainable by others.

The expo was put on in collaboration with Good Deeds Foundation Jamaica.