NASSAU, The Bahamas — The Minister of Labour, National Insurance and the Public Service disclosed the success of the National Training Agency (NTA) in the House of Assembly, March 30th, and has listed, to date, that the NTA has graduated 11 cohorts of trainees: five in New Providence, three in Grand Bahama, two in Exuma and one in Eleuthera, totaling over 1500 trainees who fully completed the prescribed 14 weeks of training in both soft and competency-based practical skills. He added that another 500-plus participants completed the four-week Mandatory Workforce Preparatory Programme.

“These young people were trained in various disciplines such as:

Housekeeping, Food and Beverage Service, Food Preparation, Butler Services, Allied Healthcare, Auto Service and Care, Basic Auto Body and Repair, Microsoft Office Suite, QuickBooks, Customer Service and Boat Safety and Maintenance,” said Minister Gibson.

“The last two cohorts in New Providence, graduating in the last 12-month period, totaled 359. These young people were all “soft skills certified,” as well as being certified by our international qualifications bodies including City and Guilds and the London Association of Butlers.”

Minister Gibson said that since January 2015, the Agency has placed 205 trainees in short term internships, assisted 121 in finding employment and developed new partnerships with some 24 companies, with whom the trainees have found employment.

“The National Training Agency is focused on performance and service excellence, and high productivity. To this end, the second phase of its training initiative is to partner with City and Guilds Institute of Leadership and Management to deliver competency-based/workplace assessment training at the supervisory–management level,” said Minister Gibson.

“The National Training Agency is in the process of completing the Vocational Activities and Convention Centre. It is anticipated that this project – which consists of administrative offices, tutorial rooms, meeting rooms and a convention hall – will be ready and operational by early August of this year. The meeting rooms and convention hall will be available for rent for multiple events such as corporate meetings and seminars, awards ceremonies, graduations and weddings.”

Minister Gibson added that the National Training Agency will also perform a vital function for the facilitation of the Government’s Internship program steered by The Bahamas Technical and Vocational Institute, as all participants of the program will have to complete the Agency’s Mandatory Workforce Preparatory Program, as a pre-requisite. Gibson also said that the Islands immediately earmarked for this service are Grand Bahama, Exuma and Abaco.