NASSAU, Bahamas -- International Labour Organization (ILO) representatives visited The College of The Bahamas on Tuesday to find out how the classes for the Government?s National Empowerment Training Program are progressing.

Luesette Howell, Senior Specialist, Employers? Activities and Hassan Bata Ndahi, Senior Specialist in Skills and Employability held frank discussions with college officials and students to get feedback to be able to offer recommendations that will benefit the program.

Ms. Howell explained that stakeholders? concerns must be heard and addressed for the program to be successful, especially if it is to be continued.

She also encouraged students in the initiative to become more open to starting their own businesses.

?There is so much downsizing so that a lot times people do not have the capacity to hire, and there is a limitation to the private sector; so you want to expand that private sector by being a part of it.?

To encourage more persons to become entrepreneurs, the ILO representatives said Bahamian society needed to be driven in that area and more persons have to be given the tools to become successful business owners.

Mr Ndahi said the ILO has worked with over 70 countries training persons to teach others how to be successful entrepreneurs and they will recommend that The Bahamas takes advantage of the training offered.

Antona Curry, Assistant Director Personal Development, The College of The Bahamas, Centre for Continuing Education & Extension Services said 216 persons are in the National Empowerment Training Program at the college.

Courses offered under the program at the college are Accounting for Beginners I, Quickbooks, Computer Applications I, Fundamentals of Skincare, Superior Customer Service Workshop and Business Etiquette.

Ms. Curry noted that the students are also taking a Life Skills class that focuses on preparing the students for the workforce as well as how to become entrepreneurs.

She also stressed that instructors who are teaching courses in the program are doing so as a community service to make the program a success.

Also in the meeting were Charles Hunt, consultant of the program from the Ministry of Labour and Deborah Bethel, Senior Labour Officer.

Mr Hunt said the Government welcomes the ILOs recommendations and any aid it can give to make the program a success.

The ILO representatives are also meeting with other stakeholders including the Minister of Labour and Social Development Senator the Hon Dion Foulkes, the National Training Committee, The Bahamas Chamber of Commerce, the Bahamas Technical and Vocational Institute.

They are examining whether the expectations of students and employers will be met at the completion of the program.

They also want to ensure that after finishing the program, some of the students will have the skills needed to become self-employed.

Ms Howell said after they have completed their observations, they will provide feedback and offer any recommendations to the Government on how to improve the program to better fulfil its objectives.