UCC to recruit 5,000 for new associate degree programme
T he University of the Commonwealth Caribbean (UCC) has entered a public-private partnership with the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information to offer 5,000 new scholarship opportunities under its Early College & Advanced Placement Programme (ECAP), starting September 2018.
The initiative is designed to sharpen the skill-set of high school graduates, typically aged 16 to 18, with a view to improving their readiness for the job market. In addition to the job-readiness training, ECAP will provide exposure to life-coping skills, personal development, civics, personal and national values, and the tenets of good citizenship.
But more than that, the programme will provide pre-university credits and technical educational training and certification to advance matriculation to university.
UCC explained that a total of seven skills components will be offered, to include logistics and chain supply management, construction site management, business administration, information technology, and tourism & hospitality management. It added that students will be provided with the necessary learning materials and will also benefit from free access to the UCC online portal for course content offered by international partner universities in the United States.
“The ECAP programme will offer to students both UCC associate degrees as well as the Occupational Associate degrees in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information. The UCC associate degrees will also allow students to be able to matriculate into Florida International University bachelor’s programmes as well as other UCC accredited bachelor degree programmes.
“These associate degrees are designed to guide high school students in making informed career choices, thereby providing a deep pool of highly skilled and knowledgeable workforce,” UCC said.
The Students’ Loan Bureau has also partnered with the university to make available loans for students who will be enrolling in the ECAP degree programme. In addition, the UCC Foundation US Inc will offer 50 per cent scholarships.
“We are investing in the young people of this country who have a clear vision and a deep yearning for high-quality student education, and we will support them to build a transparent, compelling plan for their academic development. This is an excellent opportunity to establish an academic career with a leading local university with strong international connections, and will play a key role in our ambitious plans for the future,”Dr Winston Adams, group executive chairman for the UCC Group, said.
The university college has reported that ECAP is now at an advanced stage of planning and will be ready for implementation in September.
ECAP will be initially offered through 50 selected high schools from 10 parish clusters across Jamaica. The initiative was launched on January 25.