New Programme Promises Real Jobs for Young Belizeans in Trades

Twenty young Belizeans are now enrolled in an eight-month apprenticeship programme at Orange Walk ITVET, training in air conditioning, refrigeration, and electrical installation with the goal of walking away with Caribbean Vocational Qualification Level 2 certification in their chosen trade.

The programme, titled Breaking Barriers, was officially launched this week and is a joint effort between Orange Walk ITVET and the Ministry of Education, funded through a grant from the Local Engagement Action Fund in Canada.

Among the twenty apprentices are two young women, both of whom have already been placed with private sector companies as interns.

The project manager said the institution had been working toward something like this for years. “Back in September last year we got the good news that we can apply for this grant, and we put all efforts to apply. And we were blessed to receive the grant from the local engagement action fund in Canada,” she said.

The structure of the programme splits trainees between theory sessions at the ITVET campus and hands-on practical training placed directly within industry, a setup designed to ensure graduates are not just certified on paper but ready to work from day one.

The country coordinator for the initiative said the goal goes beyond individual certificates. “What makes this programme especially meaningful is that it connects education directly with opportunities,” she said.