NORTHERN Caribbean University (NCU) has received endorsement from the business sector for its new suite of short courses, which have been developed from labour market information provided by the Ministry of Labour and Social Security along with HEART/NSTA Trust.

The suite of short courses include apiculture, digital animation, digital entrepreneurship, digital marketing, inventive home gardening, innovative technologies in agriculture, mobile application creator, mobile game design, and solar systems developer.

The NCU Business and Career Plus short courses were launched virtually by NCU President Professor Lincoln Edwards last week.

Speaking at the launch, president of the Manchester Chamber of Commerce Simone Spence-Johnson described the courses as “ripe and ready for the picking”. She noted that the courses were flexible and easy to access, and encouraged people to invest in themselves, in their businesses, and keep on improving. “Take advantage of the golden opportunity. Sign up for a course today,” she appealed to the virtual audience.

The FosRich Group of Companies has also endorsed the courses. Spokesman Steven Spencer welcomed the solar systems developer short course, noting that FosRich has embarked on projects to improve renewable energy and energy efficiency in Jamaica with the latest in solar technologies.

“Our relationship with NCU dates way back and we will continue, in the spirit of this relationship, to provide, where possible, both employment opportunities and apprenticeship or internship opportunities to participants in applicable short courses,” said Spencer, who spoke on behalf of CEO Cecil Foster.

In launching the market-driven short courses, Professor Edwards stated that the training was aimed at equipping people with new skills to foster employment, self-employment and entrepreneurship opportunities. He indicated the willingness of NCU to work with the commercial and industrial sectors to train and upgrade the human capital in mid-island Jamaica and beyond utilising micro-credentials and the stacking up of qualification in a modular manner.

He added that the courses are related to targeted industries which are areas of focus in Jamaica’s 2030 Vision Development Plan, including information and communication technology, agriculture, creative industries and construction.

Benefits of market-driven training, he said, which include:

* the ability to boost one’s employment prospects in areas of demand;

* reducing under-employment;

* maximising one’s own skills;

* reduction of barriers to employment;

* ensuring that the Jamaican workforce can respond to international and local demands, and to reduce frustration due to unemployment caused by job saturation in certain sectors of the labour market.

The Business and Career Plus short courses are being offered through the following departments of NCU: the Morris Entrepreneurship Centre, College of Natural and Applied Science, Allied Health and Nursing, and the Vocational Education and Training Empowerment Institute.

NCU Projects Manager Donovon Jones said each short course lasts a few weeks and are affordably priced. The courses are mostly delivered in a blended format — online and in-person. He added that the courses offer skills for occupations in entrepreneurship, agriculture, science and the creative industry.

In bringing greetings, executive director of Morris Entrepreneurship Centre, Hazel Wright O’Connor, said the courses and services of the centre were part of the outreach of NCU to develop surrounding communities and the nation. She reported that the centre has provided intervention programmes in entrepreneurship to communities such as Canaan Heights in May Pen, Rae Town in western Kingston, Granville and Retirement in St James.