Barbers and computer repairmen graduate from Youth Start

With almost seventeen percent of Belize’s population unemployed, the government and a number of agencies have been addressing the issue through job skills training programs. One program, the Youth Start Plan was initiated in 1995 between the government of Belize and the Organization of American States. Since then it has been taken over by the Inter-American Development Bank and Youth Start Plan Limited is now a private company. The company’s mission is two-fold: to establish a Labour Market Brokerage System and to make Belizean youths productive citizens. In 1998, youths between the ages of sixteen and twenty-nine years old were involved in a computer hardware program in Belmopan. Today I.D.B. and the Government of Belize held graduation ceremonies for thirty-six trainees who recently completed barbering and computer repair courses. Kenroy Ellis says they have found jobs for most of the graduates through the Labour Brokerage System while the remaining youths have decided to start their own businesses.

Kenroy Ellis, Manager, Youth Start Plan

“We will be setting up a Labour Brokerage System. The purpose of that system is to, we will be having industries register with us, businesses tell us what jobs are available and which jobs will be available. And based on those projections we will be able to train persons to fit those positions. So it is a case where as much as possible we will be trying to train only for the private sector driven; it has to be private sector driven.”

If you would like more information on how you can get involved with Youth Start Plan Limited you can visit the office at sixteen Gabourel Lane.