YOUNG people in the Corporate Area now have increased options for skills and career training with the opening of the Trench Town Polytechnic College (TTPC) last Tuesday.

The training facility, located at Eight Street in the south St Andrew community, offers HEART Trust/NTA and Caribbean Maritime Institute (CMI) programmes in data operation, auto body repair, customer service, maritime studies, port operations, and logistics.

There are also courses in information technology, mathematics, English, career and personal development, and entrepreneurship.

A total of 381 students are enrolled at the facility and classes began on October 5.

Education Minister Ronald Thwaites, who opened the facility, urged the young people to make use of the training opportunity provided.

He stressed the Government’s commitment to providing educational opportunities for all Jamaicans.

“This Administration is committed to providing access to education for every Jamaican who wishes to better himself or herself …we want to see everybody in this community, who has an ardent desire to better themselves by gaining more education and gaining skills, to be able to come here,” he said.

The college is located at the site of the former Trench Town High School, which was merged with Charlie Smith High in September of this year.

Under the direction of the Ministry of Education, the students of Trench Town High were transferred to the neighbouring Charlie Smith High to accommodate the TTPC.

A number of classrooms have been renovated, and work to set up a block for the schools of engineering and hospitality will start soon.

Minister of transport, works and housing, and member of parliament for South St Andrew, Dr Omar Davies, who brought greetings at the function, said that the opening of the college is a “glorious day” for the Trench Town community.

“I have seen a spirit in commitment. We have persons who…have contributed to the various educational programmes because they believe in Jamaica, and if they believe in Jamaica then we are one,” he noted.

In her remarks, chief executive officer, Council of Community Colleges of Jamaica (CCCJ), Dr Donna Powell-Wilson, said that the opening of the institution signals a commitment by policymakers to provide quality opportunities for higher education.

“TTPC was born out of very bold decisions that are now beneficial to this community and to our country, Jamaica, at large. Today, there is a special college in Trench Town,” she stated.

— JIS