The Government Assisted Technology Endeavour (GATE) was unveiled and the programme is being hailed as a major development for the island.
Only the ICT Cadet programme, which is the first component of GATE, was introduced and officials are confident that when the remaining modules are executed, Antigua & Barbuda will be taken to the next level of technological advancement.
The cadet programme will see 250 residents being trained and receiving work experience over a 12-month period.
Information Technology Minister Dr Edmond Mansoor is confident the programme will meet expectations.
“Expect that each of the cadets will go through sufficient exposure and such an intense hands-on training that we believe that they will either go on to pursue tertiary education or further formal education or they will go on a pathway to self entrepreneur,” Dr Mansoor said.
“We want these people to be able to go out there and find work and we will be successful at it.”
Strict disciplinary standards are also expected from cadets, who will receive $700 a month for the duration of the training.
The initiative is being held in partnership with telecommunications company Digicel and will see over one million dollars pumped into the local economy.
For Prime Minister Baldwin Spencer, Thursday’s launch was a way of cementing Antigua & Barbuda’s position as an ICT leader in the Caribbean.
“Antigua & Barbuda opened the gate, pioneering the one laptop per child initiative. Others are following; we have also opened the gate pioneering the technology for institutes of higher learning, and others are also following,” the prime minister said.
The next phase of GATE is expected to be launched in October.
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Quelle/Source: Antigua Observer, 15.06.2012
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