Caribbean Institute of Technology Now HCIT - HEART College of Innovation & Technology

Custom Search

caribbean_institute_of_technology_is_now_HCIT

Called CIT, the Caribbean Institute of Technology is not only the premier information technology training institution here in Montego Bay, St. James, but that perhaps holds true for the entire Jamaica - and the Caribbean!

New! See The Real Jamaica (In videos)? Visit and subscribe our Popular Youtube channel - you'll love it!

New! CIT has been renamed and re-branded!

The new organization is called HCIT - HEART College of Innovation & Technology!

Tele: 876 940-4882 / 876 940-1030
Website: http://www.hcit.edu.jm/

And yes, I may be a little biased because I did did some software training there, but their successes speaks volumes as well.

Started in 1999 in the Montego Bay Free Zone, CIT has come a long way towards fulfilling its mandate of providing a pool of skilled software programmers.

The opening of CIT in 1999 marked the culmination of discussions, explorations, forgoing of working relationships, planning, and work in Jamaica, the United Kingdom and the United States of America.

In early 1998, discussions began involving the University if the West Indies in Mona, Jamaica; Furman University in Greenville, USA; the HEART Trust/NTA; the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Technology; the Montego Bay Freezone; the International Development of Consortium (affiliated with the University of Hertsfordshire in London), and a software company, Indusa, LLC, in Atlanta, Georgia, USA.

The programme was strongly geared towards entrepreneurship with graduates urged to start their own business by offering value-added information technology services to private and public sector companies.

In a Jamaica Gleaner article in 2004, the then Minister of Commerce, Science and Technology, Phillip Paulwell, said that more than US$500 million in investments was pumped into the ICT sector since the liberalization of telecommunications industry, and according to him, the Caribbean Institute of Technology has been able to deliver on its mandate.

It was a part of a wider ICT development initiative by the then (PNP) government.

To a great extent, many considers the wider plan a failure, but Caribbean Institute of Technology itself was (and continues to be) a resounding success.

I am a proud member of the second batch of graduates in 2000!
And by the way, the graduation ceremony took place at the illustrious Ritz Carlton Hotel (Now operated by Hyatt)

I did a bit of everything, C and HTML, some C++ and Javascript. I also learnt VB, which by the way, was my favourite!

(Special thanks to Professors, Sangeetha & Donna Mitchell)

Many of the students from the subsequent year will remember me. After graduation, I was recruited and was actively assisting the newer students. Unfortunately, I was lured into leaving my preferred IT field back to accounting :-(

CIT had some initial hiccups though; It took some time for firms in the sector to accept the value of its graduates and so many of my counterparts- the earlier students, had great difficulty getting jobs- despite the expansion of the, industry.

The Institute became innovative and in 2002 they established its Development Centre, employing graduates to write software packages for companies in the hotel and tourism sector, construction industry and schools.

It is this development center that has created their new website.

Today the institution offers a wide range of ICT programes; from certificate and diploma courses to undergraduate degrees and postgraduate diploma programs.

These courses include, Networking, Network Security, Software Design and Development, Geographical Information Systems as well as special CISCO training programs.

To learn more about their current training programs, entry requirement and other general information, visit the new website (link above).

[Orginally posted: June. 10. 2009]
[Edited: Sept. 08. 2015]

Pages Related To Caribbean Institute Of Technology

Make sure you subscribe to my free monthly e-zine My Island Jamaica Digest (MIJD) and stay with the latest from Jamaica!

References:

www.hcit.edu.jm/
http://www.caribbeantech.org/index.html
http://www.jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20040623/business/business3.html
http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/news/html
/20021230T210000-0500_37374_OBS_CIT_PROGRAMME_CONTINUES_AT_MOBAY
__EXED_IN_JANUARY.asp
http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/news/html/archive
/20001113T000000-0500_3043_OBS_MOSSEL_PROMISES_______JOBS.asp
http://www.jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20010312/lead/lead3.html
http://www.jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20070114/news/news7.html

Return to Colleges in Jamaica from Caribbean Institute of Technology
Return to My Island Jamaica from Caribbean Institute of Technology

New! How to find dirt cheap flights to Jamaica? We explore the best options for you here.

New! Comments

Have your say about what you just read! Leave me a comment in the box below.

Recommended For You ...

And, Before You Go!

Here (below) are some sweet deals on matching products at Amazon that you might have otherwise missed.

Amazon.com, by the way, is the internet's most reputable retailer and usually showcases only the best products that are related to your search. Be sure to check them out.

Note: If link does not show, please click here to be redirected to our page at Amazon.com.

Great Articles You Might Have Missed

data-matched-content-rows-num="2" data-matched-content-columns-num="3"

Please help me get the message out by sharing this article with your friends on social media (links below). Thnx ;-)

Also connect with My-Island-Jamaica.com on Social Media:
Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Youtube

Thank You!

P.S. Didn't find exactly what you were looking for? Still need help?

Click Here to try our dependable and effective Site Search tool. It works!

Or, simply click here and here, to browse my library of over 500 questions and answers! Chances are someone already asked (and got an answer to) your question.

About The Author

A patriotic Jamaican who adores his culture, Wellesley has been using this medium to share what he calls 'the uniqueness of Jamaica with the world' - since April 2007.

To date, he serves over 8,300 unique readers / viewers per day.

His efforts have earned him featured positions in local publications, including the Jamaica Gleaner's Hospitality Jamaica, Carlong Publishers, as well as recognition from numerous prestigious international agencies and universities.

He invites you to join his friends list and stay updated on all the latest. You are also invited to join his exclusive patron community.