The Trust for the Americas celebrates closing of JET Project in Jamaica

The Trust for the Americas, a non-profit affiliate of the Organization of American States (OAS), recently marked the closing of its cornerstone initiative in Jamaica, the JET Project (Unleashing the Potential of Jamaican Youth through Empowerment and Training).

Launched in 2022, the programme was designed to equip youth between the ages of 17 and 34 with critical digital, entrepreneurial, and life skills, connecting them to meaningful opportunities in freelancing, business creation, and employment.

As the digital landscape evolves, the gap between current skill sets and market demands poses challenges for many young people. In this context, The Trust for the Americas, through its JET Project, addressed this issue by equipping Jamaican youth with digital, entrepreneurial, and life skills to catalyse their growth in the digital economy. Since its inception, the JET Project has achieved significant impact, recruiting over 7,750 youth, training 1,600 plus participants, and graduating 708 young people, who have gone on to start businesses, secure internships, pursue further studies and begin earning through freelancing.

Speaking at the closing ceremony at ROK Hotel Kingston, Alexander Figueroa, chief operating officer, The Trust for the Americas, highlighted: “The significance of JET goes beyond the impressive results. It shows how The Trust’s model is adaptable and replicable when local stakeholders believe in the project and are given the opportunity to take joint ownership of the model. Here in Jamaica, thanks to our team and partners, we were able to tailor the interventions to the needs of youth and the demands of the economic sector, ensuring that training translated into real access to opportunities.”

Among the success stories is that of Rajaé Powell, a banking and finance professional from Kingston, who described JET as “a gateway to new possibilities”. Through training in web and mobile app development, mentorship and exposure to digital tools, Rajaé gained both confidence and clarity about his career path.

“The sessions on interviews and resume’ building were really helpful,” he shared. While Rajaé remains in the finance sector, his eyes are now set on transitioning into information and technology.

He added, “JET was a wonderful experience that expanded my view of what’s possible, and I’m grateful to all who made it a reality.”

The project also benefited from the leadership of the Jamaica Chamber of Commerce (JCC), the Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica (PSOJ), the Caribbean School of Data (CSOD), and the Ministry of Education, Skills, Youth and Information. This initiative underscores the power of public-private partnerships in driving meaningful change.