$130M training scheme to be launched next month

Government plans to introduce a $130 million dollar Multi-Sector Skills Training (MuST) programme designed to train at-risk groups including the economically disadvantaged and the differently abled, Minister of Science, Techno-logy and Tertiary Education Colm Imbert announced yesterday.

In a statement in Parliament Imbert said that the programme which starts in April 2004, would train initially 5,000 persons per six month cycle. It would first target the construction sector — where an anticipated 10,000 new job opportunities are to become available in 2004, but he stressed the MuST programme would be “swiftly” expanded to include other sectors. Describ-ing it as “a major social and developmental programme... to eradicate poverty and unemployment and to offer opportunities to develop all our citizens,” Imbert stressed that government would insist  the taxpayer receives value for the substantial sum spent.

Phase One of the programme would cater for training and multi-skilled certification for skills such as carpentry, masonry, domestic electrical installation, plumbing, welding and fabrication, site supervision and painting and finishing. He explained that there will be three levels of certification. Level 1 — the tradesman assistant or craftsman helper, Level 2 — the craftsman, and Level 3 — the master craftsman.