Communications and entertainment provider Flow, through its Flow Foundation, has equipped another 250 Jamaicans with certification in digital literacy through its Skills for the Future pilot programme. The graduates spanned three cohorts which included data practitioners, internet practitioners and level two data literacy.

Director of the Center for Excellence and Innovation, Mona School of Business and Management (MSBM), Dr Maurice McNaughton, shared brief remarks with the graduates on December 13 and hinted at the next new developments for 2023.

“I share the conviction that data and digital technologies are a human right to be able to function in today’s digital economy. I am especially delighted by the graduation events that we have around the Caribbean School of Data (CSOD) because of the importance of what this programme represents. Graduations represent not only an end, but they also represent an accomplishment and transition into another phase – both for the programme and the individual,” remarked Dr McNaughton. “The next step is Flow’s JUMP programme which builds on the work we have done already.”

JUMP is a new public-private-partnership aimed at bringing connectivity to vulnerable households and providing digital literacy training for family members. The project will be implemented in the first quarter of 2023.

During the virtual graduation ceremony, Muriel Bailey, a graduating student of the Internet Practitioner (IP) cohort, was beaming with excitement as she delivered brief remarks about her journey in the programme.

“As somebody shared in the chat – We did it and yes, we did! My objective was to get a better feel and understanding of all things internet and to become digitally savvy. I also wanted to explore the possibility of online employment so I dove right in. It was easy to log on to the CSOD platform and complete the modules. The way it was set up, made it really easy for us,” Bailey shared.

She also recalled how the course was designed for people to learn at their own speed.

“One of the things I liked was that you could work at your own pace. Although we had weekly check-ins if you weren’t where the other persons were, it wasn’t a problem. I want to really thank the Flow Foundation and the Mona School of Business and Management for making it possible for us to do this course,” concluded Bailey.

Another graduate, from the Data Practitioner (DP) cohort, Mikaelia Morris, expressed thanks to the Foundation and shared that the course has been beneficial to her current job.

“After completing this programme, I can safely say I have gained the knowledge and learned more innovative ways to do my current job. I just want to thank the Flow Foundation for granting this opportunity. We all learnt a lot and I want to also big up to my cohort,” said Morris.

Director of Communications for Flow and Executive Director of the Flow Foundation, Kayon Mitchell, shared that thousands of lives have been impacted over the life of the programme.

“Over the period of our digital education pilot programme, we had over 4,000 Jamaicans enrolled, and more than 2,000 persons are now certified and competent in digital literacy which they can use on their journey towards bigger and better opportunities,” Mitchell noted.

Since the Skills for the Future Programme was launched in 2021, the Flow Foundation’s mandate has been to empower and enable the progress of Jamaicans through its digital education programmes. The project is a partnership between the Flow Foundation and the Mona School of Business and Management through the Caribbean School of Data.