On Monday, November 30, the Department of Youth and Culture hosted the Seventh Annual Graduation Ceremony for the Job Link-Up Programme and the first for the Youth EXPOSURE Programme.
The Job Link-Up Programme, which was launched in 2009, seeks to provide support for young people who are facing challenges in securing employment due to certain socio-economic factors such as non – completion of high school, personal disability, single parenthood and regular contact with justice, probation and social assistance systems. Thirteen young persons graduated from the programme, six of whom received ‘Certificates of Completion while seven received ‘Certificates of Participation’. Seven of the graduates have been able to secure permanent employment.
The Youth EXPOSURE Programme, which was launched in 2015, caters to young people who have completed secondary and tertiary level education and who have been unable to secure employment for a period of over two years. Young people who qualify for placement under this Programme are placed in government departments and in statutory bodies. These work experience placements are to provide them with exposure to the work environment and to give them a chance to work across various areas in the office environment. It is hoped that at the end of the attachment they would have a clear idea of their career path. The first cycle graduate comprised 10 persons , 6 of whom received ‘Certificates of Completion’ while 4 received ‘Certificates of Participation’. Of the 10 persons who benefitted from the Programme, 3 have since found permanent employment and 2 have left the island for overseas training – one as an Air traffic Controller and the other as a Police Officer.
