Carl Carram General Manager, iCreate Institute

St Maryite-cum-Kingstonian Carl Carram is a tech-savvy businessman who currently is the general manager of iCreate Institute which was “developed with the aim of filling the gap in skills training and development of creatives in Jamaica and the wider Caribbean”. iCreate also has several partnerships, the biggest being with the University of the Commonwealth Caribbean (UCC). We catch Carram in-between meetings to shoot the breeze, before he’s off to another one.

What is your idea of a perfect weekend in Kingston?

To get up and pretend to be a tourist for the entire weekend. We sometimes get so caught up that we overlook some pretty amazing things to do in this city. There are many interesting spots that are so easy to miss. I can guarantee you there are a number of people living here who’ve still never been to Bob Marley Museum.

What is your fondest childhood memory?

My fondest childhood memory was my first time becoming aware of a sunset with my brother (we’re pretty close in age). We were playing with an orange gas balloon until it got away and floated all the way up into the sky. It was late evening and we kept checking to see if it would fall. We noticed the sky started to turn orange — the same colour as the balloon. Immediately we began to panic because we had just “broken the sky”. We retreated to our room and decided to never speak of it again hoping Mommy would never find out. She would’ve been so upset. I think we were about four and five? We both remember this though; it’s still pretty funny to us.

Which words best describe you?

Goal-oriented, charismatic, jovial, unassuming.

What’s your idea of a perfect date?

One where you don’t even realise its a date. A natural interaction.

Were you able to fix one thing about Jamaica, what would it be?

I honestly wish we were quicker to adapt to technology. It affects our business processes greatly when we delay in adopting modernised practices and skill sets.

How does iCreate assist in preparing young creatives for employment?

We aim for maximum practicality in all our courses. We’re more focused on the individual’s ability to perform on the job from the first day of employment. Only one of our courses currently requires a written exam; everything else is based on practicality. In addition, we are sure to always include business elements to the training curriculum, from intellectual property to entrepreneurship.

What do you believe is the future of local creatives?

Promising. We’re living in a global society driven by technology and innovation which doesn’t seem to be slowing down anytime soon. The creatives are the pioneers of the digital space so it is inevitable their influence will continue to grow.

How has Kingston businesses embraced the creative economy?

It has been really encouraging. The number of companies sponsoring employees and hiring us to deliver customised training is rapidly increasing. It continues to push us to develop new training materials and researching new technologies.

What cologne are you currently splashing?

Salvatore Ferragamo Acqua Essenziale

A night out or a night in?

Definitely a night in

What’s your last major splurge purchase?

A smart fridge at the ATL yard sale

Where’s your preferred chill spot?

Liberty Academy

Finally, what’s your personal credo?

Always be willing to learn.