Placing HEART Trust at OPM consistent with growth agenda – Gov’t
KINGSTON, Jamaica (JIS) — HEART Trust/NTA Chairman, Edward Gabbidon, says the agency’s reassignment to the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) is consistent with Jamaica’s growth agenda.
“Placing HEART at the OPM is strategically in line with our 2030 vision and [the] goal is to promote entrepreneurships, start-ups and an option to spur economic growth. It is for this very reason why all our programmes have an entrepreneurial component to it,” Gabbidon said.
He was speaking at the HEART Trust/NTA World Entrepreneurs’ day symposium and workshop held at The Knutsford Court Hotel on August 21. It was held under the theme ‘Rise on the Heels of Success’.
Gabbidon mentioned that in 2017, collaboration between the Training Agency and the Jamaica Business Development Corporation provided six local Micro, Small and Medium-size Enterprises with grant funding totalling $14 million.
“This year, 25 students received $150,000 each through the Caribbean Youth Business initiative to fund their business. Through this… we have seen some very innovative projects. We encourage our students to be innovative and to identify problems affecting our country and finding solutions for them,” he noted.
The chairman stated that this was important, as the Agency has the responsibility to make Jamaica a place to live, work, raise our families and do business.
Meanwhile, Gabbidon said the theme for the symposium and workshop is relevant as it “urges us not to be complacent, but to take the opportunity that comes our way.”
“We are here to provide you with the tools to reach your entrepreneurship goals and as you rise, remember to give back by employing others and guiding others to do the same as you have,” he stated.
The HEART Trust/NTA’s broad mandate includes stemming the flow of students leaving the secondary school system without moving into further training; reducing the number of youth who are not educated, employed or trained; decreasing the unemployment rate for persons with disabilities; and increasing national literacy and numeracy rates.
