BIT will continue bridge gaps in labour force with approved $679M

The Committee of Supply on Friday approved $679 million to support the operations of the Board of Industrial Training (BIT), as part of the $1.6 billion allocated to the Ministry of Labour to strengthen the workforce while ensuring safety and stable industrial relations.

This funding will enhance comprehensive training programmes, helping to bridge critical labour gaps in key economic sectors.

Approximately 2397 persons will receive extensive training in 177 lucrative and technical fields, significantly bolstering the operating capacity of Guyana’s labour force.

In every region, millions of dollars have been earmarked to train scores of people, preparing many for success in Guyana’s dynamic job market.

The regional allocation of funds and large estimated number of beneficiaries paints a compelling picture of the government’s targeted approach to development.

With these allocations, the Ministry of Labour is now poised to embark on the important endeavor of transforming lives and sustaining Guyana’s  dynamic job market.

According to Minister of Labour Joseph Hamilton, this initiative is only one of the several ambitious training efforts undertaken by his ministry.

The ministry continues to actively engage international and local agencies to source funding for other groundbreaking training opportunities.

Minister Hamilton told the house  “Additional to what BIT will be doing is several collaborations that are happening with other agencies whether government or international agencies.”

Recently, the ministry inked an agreement with the World Bank to supply funding to train 20 women, two from each administrative region, in solar photovoltaic (PV) at the highest level.

Further, 1200 Guyanese will be trained to work in one of Guyana’s largest gold mines located in Region Seven.

While inputting their concerns, the opposition questioned the minister about the ministry’s ability to effectively garner information on the country’s labour needs.

In response, the minister assured that the government is not “sitting on their hands” but actively collaborating with businesses and industries to identify workforce needs and curate suitable interventions.

He said, “We have several areas where data is there that we are utilising to do the work and to plan as regards to what training to do at BIT.”

Efforts are also on the ground to establish a statistical department in the ministry, with facilities alreadyin place to accommodate the department.