By Government Press Office | BELIZE
BELMOPAN, Belize – The IDB and Google.org have joined forces with the Ministry of Education, Culture, Science and Technology (MoECST) to provide a free of charge Google Certificate in Data Analytics for Belizeans between the ages of 14 and 29 years.
With no prior experience in programming or IT required to participate, the certificate equips participants with skills that are in high demand, providing them with access to remote job opportunities with high entry-level salaries at international companies.
“While the course is open for all youth, we in particular encourage young women to apply to help close the world’s gender gap in STEM fields” says minister Francis Fonseca at the MoECST. In addition to the certificate program, participants will also receive individual coaching in life skills, helping each one complete the course requirements.
“Building digital skills is at the center of the IDB’s Vision 2025 for the full recovery of the Latin American and Caribbean region, and as such, this opportunity directly benefits the youth population that has been affected by the pandemic, providing access to knowledge that is in demand by the digital labor market,” emphasizes Ramiro Lopez Ghio, country representative for the IDB.
The initiative is part of a study to understand how to best close the skill gap in the Belize labor market.
“Google Career Certificates provide an alternative pathway to upskill and connect youth with jobs in the digital economy, ”said Hector Mujica, economic opportunity lead for the Americas at Google.org. “We are excited to work alongside the Inter-American Development Bank to advance opportunity for all across the Americas.”
To be considered for the certificate course, we invite you to fill out the following survey. For youth under the age of 18 to be considered for the course, parents must also fill out a survey, providing their consent.
