THE Heart Trust/NTA this week announced plans to train and certify approximately 3,000 Jamaicans to international standards in a number of areas within the bauxite industry over the next 18 to 24 months. The training will be done in partnership with Jamalco.

Robert Green, the director for the training programme, said workers who are certified and competent should be employed to sub-contractors at Jamalco.

Jamalco, the Clarendon-based bauxite company, earlier this year announced a US$600-million expansion programme, and is seeking to employ persons competent in a number of specialist areas including welding, pipe-fitting, heavy rigging, electrical instrumentation, as well as civil construction.

Green said, however, that the Heart Trust was not only training persons for the local market, but professionals who can take their expertise across Caribbean borders with the advent of the Caribbean Single Market and Economy (CSME).

“Employers will certainly benefit from this training initiative because they can rest assured that they have a well-trained, highly motivated and competent workforce that will allow them to compete globally,” said Green.

The training will be carried out at various Heart training facilities as well as at Breadnut Valley located in Clarendon.

Candidates will be assessed by trained NCTVET certified professionals. Those who are not yet competent will receive training to close the skill gaps and then reassessed.

Competent candidates will be placed on the national qualification register, making them available for employment.

Eligible candidates for assessment and training must possess National Vocational Qualification of Jamaica (NCQ-J) levels 1 or 2 or the equivalencies.