BIT training surpasses annual target

The Board of Industrial Training (BIT) has already surpassed its annual training target, reaching 3,310 Guyanese through 162 training projects across all 10 administrative regions as of September 9, 2026.

BIT Chief Executive Officer Richard Maughn on Friday, while delivering remarks at a graduation ceremony, said the achievement represents 138 per cent of the board’s annual target of 2,400 beneficiaries, underscoring the scale of government’s ongoing investment in technical and vocational skills development.

Of the 3,310 people reached this year, 1308 have graduated, 419 have completed training and are awaiting graduation, while 1,583 remain in training.

The programmes are designed to equip Guyanese with practical skills to improve their employment prospects and contribute to national development.

Maughn noted that the progress is part of a wider national skills-training drive implemented by BIT with government support.

“From 2020 to September 2026, the Board of Industrial Training has reached 19,600 beneficiaries through 1,061 courses,” Maughn said.

He emphasised that the investment in training is intended to translate into productive opportunities for beneficiaries beyond the classroom and certification process.

“The investment is intentional because it is the hope now that the investment has been made in you, that you will move out and not hang the certificate on a wall, but to do [and] practise that which you have acquired,” he exclaimed.

Maughn also urged the graduates to see these certifications as the beginning of their professional journey, encouraging them to continue developing their skills while demonstrating professionalism and responsible conduct in the workplace.

The expansion of BIT’s programmes is part of the government’s broader human-capital development agenda, with resources being directed towards giving Guyanese practical skills and opportunities to participate more meaningfully in the country’s growing economy. [DPI]