SAVANNA-LA-MAR, Westmoreland – Young people across western Jamaica have welcomed the launch of the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development’s Youth Summer Employment Programme (YSEP) 2022, which is expected to create summer employment for some 6,000 young people islandwide.

The youngsters will earn $10,000 weekly with team leaders earning $11,000 per week.

Jordan Johnson, a Westmoreland resident, believes that the programme will assist recent high school graduates who are currently unemployed.

“I am not sure what I really want to do [type of summer job] at this point but working would have been helpful [rather] than wasting my time at home and doing other stuff,” expressed Johnson, who wants to become a computer engineer or an electrical engineer.

Grade 11 student Brianna Carter, also from Westmoreland, said the programme will provide her with money that she can save to further her education in the future.

“I am looking forward to this programme because it will help me to save money for future purposes like school and shopping and stuff like that,” stated Carter.

She said she is looking forward to being placed in the information technology department where she will be able to provide her service in data entry.

The YSEP, which is in its sixth year, is an initiative of Local Government and Rural Development Minister Desmond McKenzie. This year’s programme will run from August 8 to September 2.

Young people from across all 14 parishes will be exposed to data collection and processing and finance among other areas.

Prime Minister Andrew Holness, who was the guest speaker at this year’s launch of the programme at the Manning’s School in Westmoreland last week, said while there are many demands, the participants should save at least one week of their earnings.

“You have been provided with the opportunity to learn, earn and grow from this experience. I also encourage you to do one other thing and that is to save…so you have to put aside some of what you earn today in order to be able to enjoy tomorrow,” he argued.

“What I want to convey to you today is to get you to start thinking that as you enter the world of work, a part of your routine when you earn should be to save,” the prime minister emphasised.

The prime minister also encouraged the participants to pay attention to their orientation and training as they give their service.

He noted that while some may confuse service with servitude, it is important to be gracious and show humility and respect on the job.

“So this is the high-level problem in the society where people who give service, it is not necessarily reciprocated with respect, for there is a tension. So, you come to work, not necessarily, with an attitude of service but when the Government is extending this level of resources and engaging young people, we must say to you, even if you feel offended…you are here to give service,” stated Holness.

“Come with a smile, come with a distinct ear, come with an attitude to learn, come with humility, come with empathy and passion for the people who you will be dealing with. Give respect for us even if it is not being given back.”

The prime minister also encouraged the youngsters to respect time and go the extra mile on the job.

“If you want to get ahead in your job, if you want to be identified as a performer and have been productive, go the extra mile,” he stressed, adding “respect time [and] be punctual.”

For his part, McKenzie, who encouraged the youths not to be defeated in whatever they undertake, said some of the participants will assist with the updating of the Social Development Commission community profile. The last update was done some 10 years ago.

He added that others will provide their service in the poor relief department at the municipal corporations.

Since the inception of the programme in 2017, some 27,500 young people have benefited from the initiative of which over 500 have been permanently employed in the local government system.