Javaughn Douglas, a recent graduate of the Flow Foundation’s Skills for the Future digital literacy programme, is ready to put his training to good use after being selected for an internship with technology company Fujitsu.

Douglas, who was the valedictorian and top overall student with an average of 99.6 per cent for the second cohort of graduates in April, will gain valuable experience as a data entry clerk. He said the Skills for the Future programme played a tremendous role in his selection for the internship.

“I am excited about what my future holds having completed the Skills for the Future Programme. I have been given an opportunity to be a part of an internship programme at Fujitsu and will be able to put in practice all the things that I learnt,” said Douglas. “In fact, this opportunity would not have been possible if I hadn’t done the training. I am looking forward to the other opportunities that I know will come my way.”

The Skills for The Future programme is a collaboration between the Flow Foundation and the Mona School of Business and Management through the Caribbean School of Data. It’s a free 12-week programme for persons 16 to 60 years old, offering training in digital literacy and data management so they can compete in the growing digital environment.

Douglas said his career goal is to become a neurosurgeon and he enjoys reading and playing video games. He is also passionate about creating more opportunities for people with special needs. He is a group member that recently successfully pitched for the development of an app for people with special needs. Douglas and his team aim to provide solutions for persons of this community and connect them to the right resources.

The pitch competition was hosted by DIA Urban Lab at the Institute of Law & Economics at the University of the West Indies. The entity is an initiative of the Trust for the Americas and targets youths 16 to 30 years old around innovative ideas through hackathons, ideathons and pitch competitions.

Veneice Wallace, the Project Coordinator of DIA Urban Lab, said the entity’s mission is reinforced by students such as Douglas and the innovative solutions they develop.

“I am so impressed by the innovation displayed by these young people as they develop solutions to social issues within our environment that will make a difference both nationally and regionally. It really warms my heart and gives me a good feeling about what our future holds,” Wallace said.

In a similar vein, the Flow Foundation believes that technology is an ally to future success and the Foundation plays its part by enabling progress through digital inclusion. The Skills for the Future Programme has a goal of training 4,000 Jamaicans in digital literacy. Graduates of the programme can further their education by applying for the Training for Professionals programme, another educational platform offered by the Flow Foundation.