Minister McAndrew Receives USAID and U.S. Ambassador to Discuss Training Program

Minister of Labour, Employment and Youth Affairs (AWJ), Steven Mac Andrew, received representatives of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) on Wednesday, July 10, 2024, in the presence of Ambassador of the United States of America, His Excellency Robert Faucher.

USAID’s visit was part of a scoping mission to explore the possibility of a program aimed at training early school leavers.

Mac Andrew, assisted by Naomi Esajas-Friperson, Deputy Director of Labour Market, explained the Ministry’s policy on early school leavers, especially in terms of labour market training and the role of the Ministry’s work units, in particular the Labour Mobilisation and Development Fund (SAO), the Production Work Units Fund (SPWE) and the Suriname Hotel and Tourism Training Centre (SHTTC).

The minister also explained the national project “Wroko Foe Mek Moni”, which aims to provide free vocational training in all regions.labor market Alliance This was explained so that USAID could take it into account.

Minister McAndrew said that vocational training often depends on students’ willingness and perseverance to learn skills. In this context, he gave the example of a former welding student from SAO who had worked his way up to assistant welding instructor at a vocational school after successfully completing training at the internationally recognised Netherlands Institute for Welding Technology (NIL).

Mac Andrew described the presentation of the diploma to the assistant welding instructor as one of the best highlights of his tenure as minister, saying the former SAO student was an exceptional role model for other young people.

The Ambassador and USAID have also shown great interest in investing in the development of the country’s youth, who have entrepreneurial potential but lack adequate opportunities to do so.

The Minister stressed that the Ministry had good collaboration with the District Commissioners when implementing the projects in the regions, which made an important contribution to identifying training needs, registering and motivating participants from local communities.