EIGHT Jamaican youngsters are now receiving training in information technology in Halifax, Canada, under the JAMNET youth exchange programme.

Now in its fourth year, JAMNET is the exchange programme between local and Canadian youngster between the ages of 19 to 25 years.

Acting director of the National Youth Service (NYS), Reverend Adinhair Jones, explained to JIS News, that the programme allowed young people to travel to Canada where they received training in computer-related fields. With the experience they have gained, they help to set up computer access points (CAPs) at different centres across the island.

The CAPs are designed to provide citizens with training in information technology, adult literacy and early childhood education. In addition, they will provide access to online services including information on jobs, small business opportunities, among other services.

Already, the government has established three CAP sites. They are in Spanish Town, St Catherine; Porus, Manchester and May Pen, Clarendon.

This year’s group, which left the island in August, are slated to return to the island in November with eight Canadian youngsters, for the Jamaican leg of the exchange programme.

“In Jamaica, we usually target areas that are void of IT infrastructure and we set up computer access points by working with other non-governmental organisations (NGOs) or by doing it alone.

“We usually training a cadre of individuals in the community, so that they can impart the skills to other members of the community so that in time, every one in the community will benefit,” Rev Jones told JIS.

The Jamaican leg of the programme, which will take place in the community of Newport in Manchester, is also three months long and will run from November until February.

Other host communities for the programme have been Portmore, St Catherine in 1999/2000 and 2000/2001, while the Seaforth community in St Thomas accommodated the group in 2001/2002.

“I think this is a wonderful programme. Most of the participants of the JAMNET programme have moved on to information technology related jobs and that’s very good. It leaves a considerable amount of social capital in the Jamaican community especially”, said Jones.

JAMNET is the sister programme to JAMCAN, the cultural exchange programme between Jamaica and Canada.

However, Jones said a decision was taken to forego the JAMCAN programme this year to focus on JAMNET. “We felt that since IT is more relevant to national development, we decided not to have JAMCAN and continue with JAMNET,” he said.

“JAMCAN is under considerable review right now. JAMNET is more related to a career path and has more benefits to offer the country’s economy,” he added.