Students train for careers in electronics

The Belize Institute of Technology, a training ground for careers in electronics, today held a graduation ceremony for eight students in its computer repair and TV/VCR programme. In addition to receiving their certificates, the graduates demonstrated some of their knowledge. Santiago Sosa, director of the institute, says that the six month course has prepared them for entrance into the technical field.

Santiago Sosa, Prog. Director, Bz. Institute of Technology

“This programme is a course designed to assist under employed and unemployed young people to learn a skill. We selected computer repair as one of the skills to train in and then of course we have the other programme, which is a TV/VCR repair programme on the advance level and this one is funded by Inter-American Development Bank and the Belize Government under it’s Youth Start Plan.”

“Some of them are a little scared in stepping out and becoming an entrepreneur, and so some of them are seeking employment. I may say at this point in time, that we have one student that has not yet completed, but is already full time employed with one of our major firms in the city, so that’s a plus for us.”

Jason Longsworth, Computer Repair Student

“I’m training right now at Business Machines and Furniture Division at Angelus Press. What we are doing right now is computer repairs, we fix computers, we repair them, I’ve learned about printers too, how to do certain work on different types of printers. But they are common problems that we find in printers.”

Jehudi Mai, Graduate, Computer Repair Course

“Before I came here I knew nothing. I’ve learned to assemble my own computer. I learn how to diagnose whether there’s a problem so I’ve learned a lot.”

Raymond Crown, Graduate, Advanced Level TV VCR Repair

“Well this course has really improved my knowledge of electronics and also giving me a better idea of how TV and VCR works.”

Jose Sanchez

“Do you plan to work on your own now?”

Raymond Crown

“Well some day in the future I would like to have my own business and do some repairs. There are a lot of TV’s in the country. What is happening is that they are getting more sophisticated and you have to keep up with the technology.”

If you would like to know more about the insides of computers and other electronic equipment, the institute is located at the corner of St. Thomas and 12th Street.