107 graduates are now equipped with specialised skills to pursue employment and entrepreneurship in some of Guyana’s emerging industries, following the completion of a collaborative training initiative led by the Board of Industrial Training (BIT).
The graduation ceremony was held at the Movietowne Cinemas on Wednesday and forms part of efforts to respond to emerging labour-market demands while preparing Guyanese to capitalise on opportunities within the country’s growing orange economy.
Graduates received training in areas including video production, drone operation, social media strategy, digital marketing, visual design and culinary arts, disciplines that are increasingly relevant to Guyana’s expanding creative, tourism, media and business sectors.
Chief Executive Officer of the Board of Industrial Training, Richard Maughn, said the programme is a reflection of BIT’s evolving approach to skills development and its commitment to providing training based on the needs of the labour market.
“The Board of Industrial Training has been evolving. We are involved in many short-term programmes that speak to the direct need of the labour market, and what we just did is reflective of what the labour market has been demanding,” he said.
He further explained that the programme came about through the existing relationship between BIT, the University of the Southern Caribbean (USC) and the Guyana Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, which presented the training initiative for consideration and implementation.
The programme is particularly significant as Guyana continues to invest in its orange economy, encompassing creative industries such as film, music, fashion, media production, digital content and cultural tourism.
At the same time, the expansion of the screen economy is creating increasing demand for professionals with skills in video production, digital content creation, drone operation, visual design and related technical fields.
President of the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Chairperson of the BIT Board, Kathy Smith, told the graduates that the skills they acquired position them to take advantage of these emerging opportunities.
“Companies in Guyana need people who can tell their stories visually, market their products effectively, use technology, create compelling content, and deliver quality service,” she noted.
For the 107 graduates, the collaboration has provided a foundation to turn specialised skills into employment, entrepreneurship and economic opportunity within Guyana, while strengthening the pool of Guyanese talent available to support the country’s transformation.