More than 1 500 Barbadians have received training through the Block Transformation Unit (BTU), a programme Prime Minister Mia Mottley has described as providing a second chance for many, while also helping to generate dozens of new businesses.
Speaking at the BTU Project Dawn Graduation ceremony at Illaro Court on Thursday night, where more than 380 students graduated, Mottley praised the wide range of government-supported training opportunities now available to Barbadians across multiple institutions.
“We are never too old to learn and that is why the government has worked to be able to provide as much training opportunities for you, not just at the Samuel Jackman Prescod Institute (SJPI), not just at the Barbados Community College (BCC), not just at the Barbados Vocational Training Board (BVTB), but also at the National Transformation Initiative (NTI),” she said.
The Prime Minister noted that training was also accessible to those who preferred online learning, pointing out that more than 15,000 courses were available free of charge through the NTI platform.
Highlighting the value of education and skills development, Mottley encouraged the graduates’ friends and family in attendance to consider enrolling in training themselves.
“You just need to go and register and you will have all of them at your fingertips and that is why I want to say to each of you, some of you have brought friends and family here, if you haven’t had the chance to go up for a course yet, come forward, because knowledge is power, knowledge is money. Knowledge can never be taken from you,” she said.
Mottley revealed that since the introduction of the BTU in 2024, more than 1 500 people have been trained through the programme.
“When you really study it, the opportunities for people to get a second chance and in some instances a first chance is what this BTU, in partnership with our tertiary institutions, is giving us,” she said.
The Prime Minister further disclosed that the initiative had resulted in the creation of 45 small businesses registered with the Corporate Affairs and Intellectual Property Office (CAIPO).
“In that, we have 10 groups registered as small farmers in the BADMC coming out of this programme, and out of this we have also been able to link people with the Barbados Youth Advance Corps,” Mottley added.
Turning to plans for expansion, the Prime Minister called for the full utilisation of completed dormitories to support increased residential training.
“It is imperative now that we have completed the dormitories, that we get the full roll and full capacity, Minister, which means four cohorts a year for a minimum of eight weeks in residential training, and then they go on to the other training,” she said.
Mottley outlined government investment in youth and skills development through initiatives such as the Barbados Youth Advance Corps, Construction Gateway and the National Transformation Initiative.
She also signalled increased financial support for participants seeking to transition into entrepreneurship through the Trust Loans Programme.
“For those of you who want to transition into business, the Trust Loans Programme allows you to borrow up to $5 000 without collateral, and so long as you start to pay back, we are taking a chance on you and we trust in you,” Mottley said.
She explained that once repayments were being made, participants could access loans of up to $10 000, and hinted that the ceiling could rise to $20,000 following the upcoming general election.
“There’s a little something going on next week, and if we get past next week, then you will be able to borrow up to $20,000,” Mottley said.
Addressing workplace protections, the Prime Minister encouraged graduates who secure employment to become unionised, noting the importance of solidarity in the workplace.
She also urged unemployed graduates to register with the Ministry of Labour’s Jobs Registry, which she said was designed to better match skilled workers with employers seeking labour.
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