Several women benefitting from the Board of Industrial Training (BIT) programmes are excited to use their skills for economic gain and opportunities.
On Tuesday, the Board held its Try A Skill exhibition and Fair at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre, Georgetown, where persons benefitting from the programmes shared their experiences.
Shanalle Khan, a resident of Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam) said since starting her training in Electrical Installation in March, 2025, she is excited to put her skills to the test upon completing the programme.
“I think it will help me develop more, help me be more brave and help me to open up and encourage me to keep moving forward,” Shanelle said.
The various programmes offered by BIT are intended to provide persons with skills that respond to the many needs of the country’s transformation. Women in particular are encouraged to enroll in the technical skills programmes as these are fields that produce high paying jobs.
Though often dominated by men, the women in the programmes have said the programme trainers are very hands-on and have made learning much easier than anticipated.
“At first I was so scared, I was like “oh my gosh, what am I doing here,” and then when I came and I got the knowledge and with the awesome teachers that we have, Mr Jack and Mr Roache, I can now say I am somewhat a master on these machines,” Dharshanie khan, who is doing the heavy duty machinery engineering programme said.
Another participant who hails from Region Five, Lanessa Harry, who is doing the agro-processing programme, said it taught her how to make many processed foods. She said her hope is to someday own her own business and even contributing to the country’s ago-processing sector.
“We did gooseberry syrup, cherry syrup and we learned to make one of the wines,” Lanessa said.
She also encouraged other women to take up this opportunity.
This year the Board of Industrial Training (BIT) received a significant allocation of $677.5 million in the 2025 National Budget to support training for 2,397 additional participants, expanding access to various technical and vocational education and training (TVET) programmes.
It also received support from the World Bank, the Guyana energy agency and the Ministry of Human Service and Social Security, to make more women focused training sessions available.
As such, this is first year that 60 per cent of the participants are women. A feat never done before.
During the training persons are offered a stipend and upon completing the programmes persons can use their certificates to access various sectors.
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