THE HEART/NSTA Trust is reporting that 824 young Jamaicans have enrolled in the Learning and Investment for Transformation (LIFT) Programme since its inception in 2023.

LIFT is a $2-billion Government of Jamaica initiative aimed at bolstering the social mobility and employability of 2,500 youth over a five-year period.

It aims to equip school-leavers with employability skills and facilitate their transition into the workforce.

Managing Director Dr Taneisha Ingleton said 509 of the trainees have been certified in City and Guilds Employability Skills Level, with another 283 awaiting their certification results.

She advised that 314 trainees are currently enrolled in cohort two, adding that 15 exited the programme prematurely.

“One trainee joined the army, two trainees migrated, two trainees found other opportunities, and nine trainees found other opportunities within the first month. So when we lose individuals, it’s really because Jamaica would have provided them with a job, they move on to college, they get a scholarship or they migrate,” she explained.

In addition to job placement and professionalism training, the LIFT Programme assists participants in obtaining key documents such as a driver’s licence, passport, bank account, Taxpayer Registration Number, and National Insurance Scheme (NIS) card.

Dr Ingleton advised that 99 per cent of cohort-one participants have received their passports.

“Ninety-one per cent of them are in receipt of a provisional driver’s licence, 100 per cent in receipt of their NIS card, 100 per cent now have bank accounts, and 21 per cent have the actual driver’s licence,” she said.

Noting that plans are currently under way for cohort three of the LIFT Programme, Dr Ingleton expressed HEART/NSTA Trust’s satisfaction with the initiative’s progress and outcomes.

“We have had several testimonials from individuals. We have had firms commenting on the quality of the participants and just how it is that they’re advancing in the various spaces of work at this time. So, we’re very, very pleased with what we have done, and this is, indeed, a very good look for our country,” she said.