The Trust for the Americas is joining the Caribbean School of Data initiative to train 100 young people in digital and data skills in 2020

The Trust for the Americas, through its local partner, the Institute of Law and Economics (ILE), will launch the Caribbean School of Data online training module for the first cohort of 25 students on May 18, 2020.  

The Caribbean School of Data (CSOD) is an initiative of the Caribbean Open Institute (COI)1, that seeks to develop a comprehensive and sustainable digital/data literacy program aimed at underserved populations within the Caribbean. Some of the CSOD’s goals include building a stronger data culture across the region and creating essential employment skills for the emerging digital economy. 

The long-term goal of the CSOD is to develop a comprehensive and sustainable “data literacy” program that will facilitate greater awareness, attitudes, competencies and capacity to build a stronger data culture across the Caribbean. Through this specific initiative, the CSOD will create employability and economic opportunities for at-risk youth across the Caribbean through digital literacy and data skills training. 

Rodrigo Iriani, Project Manager of the DIA Lab, mentioned: "The ultimate goal of the DIA Program is to bring innovation to people. This means having youth engaged and contributing to their own development and that of their communities. The DIA Urban Lab and the CSOD partnership is another proof of the potential of using data to foster progress in the Caribbean.". 

The deployment of the CSOD program over a two-year period aims to train at least 1,500 marginalized young people in seven countries across the Caribbean. These training fields include Digital/Data Literacy and basic to advanced Data Management skills—geared towards creating a range of employment opportunities. 

ILE has trained three facilitators to guide the first cohort of 25 students that will complete the training in 10-12 weeks. By the end of 2020, ILE will train 100 young people in the CSOD module. 

Launched in 2016 with support from Founding Donors, the Citi Foundation and USAID through the A New Path Project, DIA Jamaica is an initiative created by The Trust for the Americas, an affiliate of the Organization of American States, to empower a new generation of young entrepreneurs and innovators—who will serve as agents of change in their communities. DIA Jamaica is part of the Citi Foundation’s global “Pathways to Progress” initiative, which aims to equip young people with the career readiness tools and opportunities they need to thrive in today’s economy. Pathways to Progress consists of programs, research, and partnerships—such as the one with Trust of the Americas—that help young people develop an entrepreneurial mindset and acquire leadership skills. 

The DIA Urban Lab has awarded more than 100 seed funding opportunities and benefited over 1,500 young people through innovation training and access to state-of-the-art technology. The DIA initiative is a regional program also present in Belize, Colombia, Mexico, Costa Rica, and Panama. 

Stay tuned for our calendar of special events. 

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About The Trust for the Americas: 

The Trust for the Americas is a nonprofit organization affiliated with the Organization of American States (OAS). Established in 1997 to promote public-private partnerships, The Trust has implemented projects in 24 countries and worked with over 1,000 organizations in the region. Our initiatives aim to promote educational and economic opportunities, as well as government accountability and transparency.

Our unique alliance with the OAS gives us access to decision-makers throughout the region. This foundational partnership serves as the basis for building strong networks across member states and the private sector. As our region continues to evolve, Trust remains steadfast, addressing challenges through strategic partnerships that promote cooperation to achieve sustainable results.

The Trust of the Americas is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.

More information: www.trustfortheamericas.org Facebook: The Trust for the Americas Twitter: @Trust4Americas

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