Youth training programme returns to roots

(CNS): Following its divergence recently to assist various social demographic groups struggling to find work Passport2Success returned to its roots this week when the education and employment ministry programme started a new course for 25 17-20 year olds. Launched by the Education Ministry in 2010, Passport2Success has had an impressive record of helping unemployed youth to tackle barriers that have kept them from getting and maintaining jobs. A locally-developed programme, it provides a unique blend of skill-development with personal and group counselling, work experience, community service, and a focus on personal development, attitudinal change and work readiness.

Having developed an excellent reputation in the business community it now has some 55 companies providing some form of support in the last four cohorts by either sponsoring the program, guest speaking to the participants, providing site visits so participants can see how different businesses operate and/or work experience placements.

The programme has seen 157 young Caymanians graduate through the course out of 186 that originally started the programme a success rate of 84%.  Currently 78 – 50% of those graduates are either employed or in an internship, and 37 graduates, almost a quarter are either attending school or seeking further education. 

This year financial year Passport2Success will offer two programmes for young people aged between 17-20 with the second one starting in April 2013 and a third course will begin in January for Caymanian Single Mothers.

As the new students started the course Monday the education minister said the programme was modelled on real life, where participants who don’t follow the rules and make the effort to improve will be asked to leave. 

“Just like in real life, if you do something wrong, there are consequences,” Rolston Anglin stated.