The Youth Apprenticeship Program offers many young Belizeans a chance at learning new skills and acquiring a job that they would not have access to otherwise. But in order to hold down a job, you need the be able communicate properly and work well with others. RET International is helping the participants of the Youth Apprenticeship Program do just that. Over the last week, RET has been conducting Employability Training to teach the participants important skills needed in the work place. The course ended today, and we went to the graduation ceremony where we spoke to the RET International's Program Coordinator about the training session...
Melanie Barnes, Nat'l Program Coord., RET Int'l
"The idea was to train the youths that apart of the Youth Apprenticeship Program in employability skills. As you know part of the program is that they will be going on apprenticeships at different jobs, so we wanted to give them some skills, some aptitudes that can help them to be successful in their apprenticeship as well as prepare them for the world of work, for their future. So that was what the training was about - to in a participatory and a very active manner, because you know we are working with young people to give them skills necessary for them to be successful on the job places."
Reporter
"So when we talk about employability skills, what exactly are we looking at?"
Melanie Barnes, Nat'l Program Coord., RET Int'l
"We are looking at communication, verbal communication, your body language - those kinds of communication on a whole. We are looking at attitudes. We are looking at writing skills - how they are able to communicate through writing. We are looking at problem solving and critical thinking. Those kids of soft skills that are not necessarily trained as part of your schooling, but its necessary on the job places."
The participants were also taught how to handle criticism and use it to further develop their skills.
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