Today thirty young people from Belize City received certificates for the completion of a five week computer training program. The programme sought to promote poverty reduction through socio-economic initiatives and community development by putting the trainees in a better position to access jobs at online job marketplaces and service providers. Instructor, Cardinal Howell of CARDICOM told us more:
Cardinal Howell, Instructor - CARDICOM
"The main drive behind the program was for them to be able to get online jobs but we went a bit further than that in that the training also prepares them for the working world for those who would be able to start their own projects, start their own business as well. One of the things that I found very interesting is the motivation; the creativeness of the young people who took part in this training program and it was an excellent training program."
Hon. Patrick Faber, Minister of Education
"This training course that you went through does not guarantee you success, what now guarantees you success is you ability to put this training along with your ambition, your drive to succeed to get out there and to make sure that something happens for you."
Sandra Grant, Field Officer - SIF
"We were happy to know that some people have already been hired from the program and we are expecting that even if they do not get a job, they will be able to earn and income and to be an example for other young people to show what they can do."
Cardinal Howell, Instructor - CARDICOM
"The program covered a number of applications, we started off with Microsoft Word and Excel 2007, for some of them it was a refresher but for others it's the first time they were dealing with those programs. We also look at Adobe Photoshop and as well as web development and QuickBooks."
Andrea Polanco
"Why you decided to take this computer training program?"
Jermaine McDougall, Participant
"Well the reason why I heard that they will teach website and that is something I didn't really know about so I decide to embark on it."
Delicia McKoy, Participant
"I decide to take this program is because I like to do accounting and I want to be a receptionist and QuickBooks is something good because it has a lot to do with accounting."
Shahera Bodden, Participant
"I really wanted to do Photoshop but they didn't really have any space for us at the time so we decided to do QuickBooks, it was really interesting and it was hard but I was really confident that I would have pass it."
Arlette Woods, Participant
"Well I took QuickBooks, Word and Excel and I actually want to open my own business so I decided to take the QuickBooks so that I can do my own accounting."
Andrea Polanco
"So how would you rate this training program? Was it effective?"
Shahera Bodden, Participant
"Well from a scale from 1 -10, I will give it a 9 because it was good."
Delicia McKoy, Participant
"Well I will say a 10 for me because I think the way Mr. Cardinal Howell teach me I think I learn a better way like that with more practical than more notes, I like the way how he teaches because it was challenging and I think for me to learn I need something more challenging like that. So it was a success to me."
Shahera Bodden, Participant
"Well it was too short but if he went longer we would learn a lot more and get more experience with computers because for me it was too short."
Andrea Polanco
"What is your next plan Jermaine?"
Jermaine McDougall, Participant
"My next plans is to start design some website locally."
Andrea Polanco
"And you Arlette?"
Arlette Woods, Participant
"Right now I am working on my business to try to open an internet cafe in my yard."
Andrea Polanco
"So you receive your certificated today? What does it feel like?"
Shahera Bodden, Participant
"I feel good because I could show it off."
Delicia McKoy, Participant
"I feel good because i successfully completed my training."
Sandra Grant, Field Officer - SIF
"This is not the end of the project. We will be providing computers to the 2 centers so that these young people will be able to go there at their convenience to work and we are hoping that there will be motivated enough to buy their own computers, put in their own internet and do whatever they have to do to make some money in this world and survive."
The programme was a partnership between SIF, Youth for the Future and Community Policing Unit. Similar computer training programmes will be taking place in Corozal and Punta Gorda.
