HEART NSTA Trust marks World Youth Skills Day 2026 with regional focus

HEART NSTA Trust is observing World Youth Skills Day 2026 under the theme “Skills for a Shared Future,” with Managing Director Dr. Taneisha Ingleton urging young Jamaicans to build the competencies demanded by a rapidly changing labour market.

In a message marking the day, Dr. Ingleton said technology, artificial intelligence, sustainability and evolving work arrangements are already reshaping what young people need to succeed in Jamaica and abroad. Technical ability remains important, she said, but trainees must also be digitally confident, adaptable, creative, emotionally intelligent and able to tackle practical problems.

The Trust is marking the occasion through a regional, institution-led programme across its six regions. Dr. Ingleton said the approach lets campuses stage activities that are practical and relevant to trainees, industry partners and surrounding communities. The events, she added, are meant to give young people room to exchange ideas, explore future-ready skills and see themselves as contributors to national development.

Feedback will also be gathered through the Insights Accelerator, which will collect views from trainees, employers and other stakeholders on the competencies that matter most going forward, including artificial intelligence, sustainability, inclusion and lifelong learning.

Dr. Ingleton said the Trust’s commitment is that no young person should be left behind, whether they are entering training, moving between jobs, launching a business or forging a new career path. Quality skills training and opportunity, she stressed, must remain within reach.

She encouraged trainees and young Jamaicans to continue learning, innovating and preparing for what lies ahead, arguing that the skills developed now will help build a stronger, more inclusive and more competitive Jamaica.