THE 10,000 young Jamaicans who have signed up for this year’s Youth Summer Employment Programme (YSEP) have been urged by Prime Minister Dr Andrew Holness to use the experience to improve their skills and develop an outstanding work ethic.

“The value of the experience is what you should appreciate and take away. That experience is going to make you a better person, a more knowledgeable person, a more rounded person, a more prepared person — and it’s going to give you the edge in the world over others who would not have the similar experience,” Holness told the youngsters at the official launch of the programme at Jamaica Conference Centre in downtown Kingston on Tuesday.

Holness, while reflecting on his own experiences in different government summer job programmes decades ago, emphasised the value of such initiatives in shaping the future of the nation’s youth.

He also used the opportunity to caution young people against involvement in criminal activity, expressing concern over the high percentage of young Jamaican men falling victim to violent crime.

“More than 90 per cent of persons who are being murdered now are males, and of that, more than 80 per cent of them are youngsters between 14 and 29,” he said.

Holness pointed out that the Government has invested more than $90 billion in the country’s national security apparatus so as to change the risk-reward function of crime.

“If you believe that by getting involved in crime you are going to make a profit because the risk of being caught is low, you are mistaken, sadly mistaken. It is very risky to be a murderer and a hit man in Jamaica today. So while we close the opportunities in criminal activity, we are opening up the opportunities for you to pursue legitimate, formal, pro-social, pro-growth, economic opportunities in your life that will make you a better person without depriving anyone else of their life or their freedom to enjoy their life,” said Holness.

Local Government and Community Development Minister Desmond McKenzie, who also addressed the launch, said the programme is the largest youth employment initiative of its kind in the Caribbean.

Now in its ninth year, YSEP is designed to provide four weeks of summer work experience for Jamaican youth between the ages of 16 and 29. Participants are assigned to municipal corporations and local government agencies, carrying out tasks such as data collection on street lighting, old buildings, and vulnerable populations — particularly those in need of assistance during disasters.

Highlighting the growth of the initiative since its inception, McKenzie said it has steadily expanded, both in scope and impact, with increased support from municipal corporations, private sector stakeholders, and other arms of government.

He said that the programme has evolved into a national initiative aimed at not only providing temporary employment but also fostering civic responsibility among young people.

“So far, over 50,000 young people have learned and have earned through the Youth Summer Employment Programme over these nine years… and one of the features of the programme is that nearly 1,000 of you, since this programme started in 2016, have gained employment not just in local government but in other government entities. And YSEP is proud that our efforts have contributed significantly to the reduction of unemployment, especially among the youth across the country,” McKenzie said.

He also announced that participants in this year’s programme will receive an increased weekly stipend of $17,000.

He urged participants to approach their roles with a sense of national duty, emphasising that their work directly supports the improvement of public services and community resilience.

“I want to urge those of you who are joining us for the first time this year: This is the beginning of an opportunity that will transform you into the future of Jamaica. Your skills will help to continue to develop Jamaica to make our country a prosperous one. I don’t want you to treat this as just something that you go and sit on and don’t get anything, because this is the start of being good workers and an opportunity to contribute to the growth of the country,” he said.

McKenzie also advised participants to spend their earnings responsibly, particularly those preparing to return to school.

“Ensure that those of you who are going back to school, forget about the parties, the nice hairstyle; use the revenues that you earn to assist you to go back to school,” he said.