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Government House announced Friday that the Office of the Governor and the Workforce Development Board are hosting the 3rd annual Governor’s Workforce Development Summit on September 27 at the University of the Virgin Islands on St. Croix, at UVI on St. Thomas on September 29 and at Legislature Annex on St. John on September 30.
According to the release, the events are free to attend, and the Workforce Development Summits on St. Croix and St. Thomas will take place from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., while the summit on St. John will be held from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
The summit’s theme this year is “Creativity and Innovation in the US Virgin Islands’ Workforce,” and participants can expect a robust dialogue about what employers and employees are currently doing to navigate the new, global economy, Gov't House said. The Workforce Development Summit also will provide transformative information for employers and employees to help them be competitive with this constantly changing workforce.
“Developing a powerful and strong workforce in the Territory will keep the USVI viable in the global marketplace, but more importantly, it is a key to the bright future that I see for all Virgin Islanders,” Governor Albert Bryan said. “Along with other programs the Bryan-Roach Administration has created to enhance our labor and education sectors, the Workforce Development Summits are designed to help the USVI reach its incredible potential as quickly as possible.
Mr. Bryan created the Workforce Development Summit in 2019 with the stated goal of stabilizing the Territory’s economy and creating a sustainable and thriving workforce for the benefit of all Virgin Islanders.
“This summit will highlight how workforce development has to evolve from a problem-focused approach, from simply addressing issues of low-skilled workers or the need for more employees in a particular industry,” V.I. Labor Commissioner Gary Molloy said to open the first summit meeting on Tuesday on St. Thomas.in November 2019, according to Gov't House.
VIYA will be giving away free MiFi devices to participants at this year’s events, as well as free phones to attendees who qualify, according to the release. To register, go online at viwdb.vi.gov.
