Our stipend-paid on-the-job training programme allows you to learn and earn while you work, preparing you to meet the demands of the workplace.
Programme Stages
There are five stages within the programme, and you can enter or exit at any stage.
- Pre-entry
- Entry
- Intermediate
- Advanced
- Graduate
School Leavers’ Training Opportunities Programme (SLTOP)
Specially designed to bridge the gap between school and the world of work for recent school leavers, our School Leavers’ Training Opportunities Programme (SLTOP) is for school leavers between the ages of 17 to 23, who have two or more CXC or GCE passes.
In the SLTOP, trainees have the opportunity to work with private or public sector firms for up to one year, where they can fully acquaint themselves with the firm’s daily operations in order to gain rich, immersive practical knowledge.
With our SLTOP, trainees are supported to:
- Develop job-readiness and have an improved understanding of the nuances of the working environment
- Develop in-demand industry skills and experience which they will be able to take to their next stage of employment or to higher-level training
- Strengthen their overall employability and core skill sets
At the end of the training, participants receive a National Vocation Qualification Jamaica (NVQ-J) certificate, and Caribbean Vocational Certificate (CVQ), which demonstrate their successful completion of the programme.
Duration: 1 to 3 years.
For more information or to apply, go to the HEART regional or parish office.
Graduate Work Experience Programme (GWEP)
Our Graduate Work Experience Programme (GWEP) is carefully crafted to support graduates between the ages of 17 and 29 with little or no working experience in their field of study.
Offered in both private and public sector firms, GWEP is designed to help graduates with degrees attain practical and experiential knowledge of the working environment while contributing to their overall personal and professional development.
GWEP participants are supported to:
- Improve their awareness of workplace demands, standards and employer expectations
- Improve their employability and strengthen their core skill sets
- Develop a stronger practical understanding of their industry or field
- Develop in-demand industry skills and experience which they will be able to take to their next stage of employment or to higher-level training
At the end of the training, participants receive a National Vocation Qualification Jamaica (NVQ-J) certificate, and Caribbean Vocational Certificate (CVQ), which demonstrate their successful completion of the programme.
Duration: 6 months
Empowerment Programme
Offered in select private and public sector firms, the Empowerment Programme is designed to provide work experience for persons between the ages of 17 to 34 with mild physical or intellectual disabilities. Guided by a Job Coach, trainees will also participate in a three-week non-residential camp.
Empowerment Programme participants are supported to:
- Improve their personal, social and professional skills and capacities
- Strengthen their overall employability
- Access employment, and freely transition to other HEART training programmes
At the end of the training, participants receive a National Vocation Qualification Jamaica (NVQ-J) certificate, and Caribbean Vocational Certificate (CVQ), which demonstrate their successful completion of the programme.
Duration: 6 months.
HOPE Youth Summer Work Programme (HYSWP)
Offered to persons between the ages of 17 and 29 (up to age 34 for those with disabilities) throughout the summer, the Hope Youth Summer Work Programme is designed to provide opportunities to acquire valuable work experience at a range of public and private sector entities.
At the end of the training, participants receive a certificate of participation or customized certification.
Duration: 3 weeks.
HOPE National Service Corps Programme
Offered to unattached youth between the ages of 17 and 29, the HOPE National Service Corps is designed to support young people who are serving as apprentices within the National Service Corps. Apprentices are exposed to the social and technical skills that can empower them to become well-rounded individuals making a meaningful contribution to the country’s social and economic development.
The goal of the programme is to support young people in finding meaningful work within an apprenticeship structure, while offering them the opportunity to be trained in a marketable skill.
Though training is mainly on-the-job, it is augmented by online content. In addition to emphasizing technical skills, the programme is also geared toward fostering the holistic development of participants, and as such, includes modules which teach a variety of life skills including conflict management, etiquette and deportment, as well as ethics.
Trainees are supported to:
- Develop and strengthen technical skills
- Develop and strengthen holistic life skills which promote overall personal development
- Matriculate into relevant HEART programmes
At the end of the training, participants receive a National Vocation Qualification Jamaica (NVQ-J) certificate, a Caribbean Vocational Certificate (CVQ).
Participants may also receive customized certification or an HSDE certification which demonstrate their successful completion of the programme.
Duration: 6 months to 1 year.
Registered Apprenticeship Programme
Our Registered Apprenticeship Programme (RAP) is specially designed for individuals over the age of 16 years who have completed a minimum secondary high school education at the grade 9 level.
Giving trainees the opportunity to learn directly from public and private sector industry specialists, the RAP is a flexible and inclusive approach to job training, leading to internationally recognized certification.
With the RAP, trainees are supported to:
- Develop in-demand industry skills within their chosen vocations or professional paths
- Develop job-readiness and have an improved understanding of the nuances of the working environment
- Strengthen their overall employability and core competencies
At the end of the training, participants receive a National Vocation Qualification Jamaica (NVQ-J) certificate, and Caribbean Vocational Certificate (CVQ), which demonstrate their successful completion of the programme.
Duration: 1 to 4 years.
