RBC invests in junior achievers

THE Royal Bank of Canada (RBC) yesterday pledged its commitment to this country’s young people with the launch of its Future Launch initiative at the Arthur Lok Jack School of Business in Mt Hope.

In making this commitment, RBC Financial Caribbean CEO Darryl White said RBC was making its first donation through Future Launch of $135,000 to Junior Achievement TT.

White said this donation will “go towards supporting JA’s mission to help young people prepare themselves to own their financial future through mentorship, support and important training skills. JA is a non-profit organisation developed in 1970 to prepare and inspire TT’s young people to succeed in a global economy

White explained that through Future Launch , RBC works with young people to bring leading stakeholders, governments, educators, employers and industry experts together. White said an investment in young people and communities is an investment “in our collective future” in TT and across the world.

White said challenging economic times require young people to be properly prepared to access the most in demand jobs today. He said recent estimates suggest that six out of ten children entering primary school now will likely end up working in completely new job types “that we can’t even imagine today.”

White said through initiatives like Future Launch, an agile and resilient workforce can be created. He said corporations cannot stay on the sidelines when it comes to education and empowering youths to succeed. “We need to get in the game and take action, facilitate dialogue and most importantly, we need to commit to achieving tangible results.”

Research findings about youth and the future of work in TT showed that 14 to 19 year old youths in Trinidad were split between self-employment and finding jobs in existing establishments. In Tobago, 14 to 19 year old youths were unclear about making the transition from school to work, and about the requirements for what they would like to study. The findings also showed migration is an option for many 20-29 year old youths from Tobago. These people first migrate to Trinidad and then further afield.