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Overview Jamaica’s Information Technology sector is moving at an accelerated
rate. The government is instilling
training programs and the workforce is providing a major bonus for
international investors. With the help
of the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Technology in 5-10 years Jamaica
wants to be a hotbed for Information
Technology talent. The Minister and the government intends to make available to the IT
sector, 1.6 million square feet of factory space over the next three
years. JAMPRO is expected to provide
about 8,000 jobs in the Information Technology sector alone. As of February 2002 the domestic workforce
in the Information Technology sector is currently estimated at 6,000
persons.
(11) Partnerships with Social Development Commission (SDC), National Youth
Services (NYS) Workforce Development Consortium, Universities, Association of
Community Colleges, Schools, Ministry of Education & Culture, and private
sector investors and training providers have allocated money to help the
domestic workforce get the skills to work in the Information Technology on
the Island. At the present time approximately 800 students will graduate in six to
eight months and will join the IT workforce in place in the free zones. The students skill will range from
programmers, E-publishing, call centers, and web site designers. Employment Creation Project (INTEC) In April 2000, the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Technology launched
the Information Technology Creation Project (INTEC) in support of the
National Strategic Plan for Information Technology. This plan puts information and
communication technologies (ICT) at the center of Jamaica’s economic
development as a dynamic industry and in support of the development of other
sectors of the economy. Project Objectives and Strategies
The INTEC Project is a three- year project, which is intended to
establish the framework for a knowledge-based society in an effort to foster
and sustain long-term economic development.
In order to achieve the goal of accelerated economic development,
three basic objectives have become the drivers of the project: § The creation of jobs to ensure short term results § The development of a knowledge-based society through training and
retraining, and the strengthening of our human resource. § The development of a local information technology industry.
(12) Project Maturation
Over the three year life of the project, it is
anticipated that job opportunities will be created in two main categories:
Medium to High Level IT Skills- Software Services- Information Technology
Consultants, Network Specialists, Programmer/Analysts, System Programmers,
Web Masters, Multi-Media Developers; and Low Level IT Skills-Data
Conversion/Teleservice- Call Center Operators, Telemarketers. In fulfilling its mandate, the HEART Trust/NTA will be
using a number of strategies including: § The establishment of high-end software training facilities in public and
private institutions through partnerships (for example, the Caribbean
Institute of Technology) § Recruiting and deploying local and overseas Information and Communication
Technology (ICT) experts within the training network § Upgrading local trainers and prospective trainers to participate in the
ICT human capital creation § Providing training grants to new and expanding firms that provide on site
training for their employees that is directly associated with the job
creation objective § Supporting community based ICT training initiatives and opportunities through arrangements with
community based organizations including churches, NGO’s and schools § Collaboration with agencies such as the NYS and SDC to provide ICT
training opportunities to their target population.
(12) Impact and Development of CIT The first class of 43 students graduate from CIT on
December 5, 1999. On January 4, 200,
the second class of 101 students bean their study at CIT. Eighty-one students from this class
graduate on November 10, 2000. The majority of them are employed at INDUSA
(outsourcing), Multivisual from Germany (e-marketing), Overdrive (e
publishing) and Jamaica Call Center (e-commerce). On January 2, 2001, the third class of 100
began their study at CIT. Caribbean Institute of Technology
(CIT) The decision to develop the CIT was based on a variety
of factors: § Shortage of IT workers worldwide and particularly in our neighboring
country USA, is hampering the ability of companies to reach their potential
in an information based economy. § Many major U.S. corporations have been looking offshore to find scarce
software development resources. § Jamaica boasts an intelligent, literate and conscientious workforce and
the country have demonstrated its ability to adapt readily to modern
industrial technologies. § Additionally, the Jamaica Digiport International (JDI) a subsidiary of
Cable and Wireless has established Jamaica as the most sophisticated
telecommunications market in the Caribbean, boast a 100% digital network. Success of the project also lies in Jamaica’s ability
to attract a portion of US software development industry to establish
offshore operations here. Therefore
local partners such as the Ministry of Industry, Commerce, and Technology and
our national promotional agency, JAMPRO must work closely with CIT/ HEART
Trust in the marketing of Jamaica’s trained resources.
(12) Statistics as of 2000/2001 Training through Private Institutions
(Amount Allocated J$M) Institute of Management & Production $1.474 Programming & Web Master Star-up of training 1st Q of 2001 Infoserv Limited St. Andrew $1.491 Training of 50 students currently
underway Arionox Business & Training
College Web Master Multimedia, E-publishing Training of 50 students to start end
of 2nd Q 2003 International Processor LTD/ (Int’l
Training Inst. $8.681 NVQ-J Level 1 To train 300 people in 1 year Infoserv Limited St. Catherine Telemarketing To train 90 people per cycle. Start up of training- end of 1st 2001 Caribbean Institute of Technology $8.060 Programming 140 already graduated. 103 currently
being trained Sub total (Private) $19.706 Training through Public Institutions
(Amount Allocated J$M) Exed Community College $60163 CIT Program 49 students enrolled Sept. 2000 in the
CIT program Portmore Community College $3.7 Programming & Web Master Training of 80 persons to start 1st Q of 2001. Facilities
will accommodate disabled. University of Technology Programming Training of 50 to begin 2nd Q of 2001 Moneague Community College $0.955 Programming & Web Master Training of 50 to begin April 2001,
with batch 2 in June 2001. Brown’s Town Community Coll. $0.824 Programming & Web Master Training of 50 to begin April 2001,
with batch 2 in June 2001. Bethlehem Community Coll. Programming & Web Master Training of approximately 50 to start
en of 2nd Q 2001. MoBay Community College Programming, Web Master &
E-Publishing Training of approximately 50 to start
end of 2nd Q 2001 Knox Community College $0.864 Programming & Web Master Training of approximately 50 to start
end of 2nd Q 2001 Stony Hill HEART Academy $0.570 Networking Approximately 50 students to be
trained Rockfort HEART Academy $40113 Basic IT skills, Call Center
operations Training to commence 2nd Q. of 2001. 100 to be
trained per training cycle VDTI $4.237 Multidisciplinary Training started in Web Master,
Multimedia IT Trainer Development Program. Garmex $0.836 Industry based training. Sub Total (Public) $22.262 Total $41.968
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