Attendance at the first training sessions from the European Union and HEART Trust/NTA’s Banana Sector Retraining Project
155 beneficiaries are enrolled in pre-vocational and skills training held for those affected by the downturn in the banana and plantain industries. Orientation began May 13th in St. Mary, and training in other parishes followed soon after. Banana and plantain farmers, labourers and port workers hope to boost their employability and gain new skills in the Banana Sector Retraining Project, sponsored by HEART Trust/NTA and the European Union.
The project began last October in the six targeted parishes: St. James, St. Mary, St. Thomas, St. Catherine, Clarendon and Portland. It started with career counselling workshops that featured motivational speeches and try-a-skill exercises. Other training activities include pre-vocational and skills training.
Selection and Training Process
After applying to the project at workshops, all applicants were invited by HEART representatives to sit the Grade 9 achievement test. Of the 315 people that sat the test, 15% went straight into HEART programmes. Others were assigned to pre-vocational programmes that will improve their Mathematics and English skills.
Pre-vocational training is taught via the traditional classroom (pen and paper) approach by the Jamaica Foundation for Lifelong Learning (JFLL) and through use of ICT enabled methods by HEADSpace Jamaica Limited. Only St. Thomas and St. Mary will be taught via ICT methods.
Initial attendance numbers
The attendance for pre-vocational is as follows:
| Parish | # of Trainees |
| JFLL | |
| St. James | 23 |
| Clarendon | 18 |
| HeadSpace Jamaica | |
| St. Mary | 19 |
| St. Thomas | 41 |
| TOTAL | 101 |
There are also skills training classes in Housekeeping Level 1 also being conducted by HEART Institutions:
| Parish | HEART NTA Institution | # of Trainees |
| Clarendon | Ebony Park Academy | 7 |
| St James | Granville VTC | 31 |
| St Catherine | Above Rocks VTC | 16 |
| TOTAL | 54 | |
Initially there were 31 persons interested in training for Portland but only 7 turned up for classes unfortunately that number further dwindled to currently no classes taking place in that parish.
Originally the BSRP was intended to provide pre-vocational and skills training to 220 beneficiaries. So far, they are about 30% away from that target, which project officers hope to achieve because more people are joining as the project builds momentum.
“I am a bit disappointed that more persons in Portland and St. Mary have not responded to the training,” says Carla Campbell, Project Coordinator. “We have had to cancel scheduled classes that were to be led by JFLL due to this unresponsiveness in these two parishes.”
The training is expected to help displaced banana/plantain industry workers get new jobs with the skills they have received from the BSRP.
FOCUS: BSRP Trainee at the Hampton Court Community Centre in St. Thomas concentrates on his reading material, while in pre-vocational training class using Information Communication Technology methods offered by HEADSpace Jamaica Limited.
For information please contact:
Tashna Samuels 506-3600 tashnal.samuels@gmail.com
Carla Campbell 929-1595 carla_campbell@heart-nta.org
Donnett Smith 946-0859/978-4362 marketing@panmedia.com.jm
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