On a Thursday evening in early October 2026, a celebratory ceremony marked a major milestone in Belize’s journey toward digital inclusion: the first 100 graduates completed an industry-focused digital skills training course through the national Talent Up Belize initiative.
The programme, a collaborative effort between the Government of Belize, the Belize Trade and Investment Development Service (BELTRAIDE), and the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), was designed to close the country’s digital skills gap by offering fully free online training in high-demand emerging technology fields. Trainees focused on core competencies including artificial intelligence, cloud infrastructure management, and data analytics—skills that are increasingly critical for accessing high-wage roles in the global digital economy.
Speaking at the event, BELTRAIDE Executive Director Ishmael Quiroz outlined the strong early participation that exceeded initial program expectations. More than 145 Belizeans signed up for the initiative’s debut course, the Google Skills Generative AI Leader Certification Learning Path, with more than two-thirds of registered participants completing all required modules and earning their completion credentials. Trainees represented a cross-section of Belize’s economy and public life, drawing participants from the fast-growing business process outsourcing (BPO) sector, local academic institutions, and various government agencies.
Karla Gonzalez, IDB’s Country Representative for Belize, emphasized that the programme’s mission extends far beyond technical training. “This initiative is not only about training, but about empowering people with skills that open doors to better careers and new opportunities,” Gonzalez explained. She noted that the growing global digital economy creates new pathways for economic mobility in small developing economies like Belize, and investing in local talent is the most effective way to unlock those opportunities.
Narda Garcia, Chief Executive Officer in the Office of the Prime Minister, framed the Talent Up programme as a core component of Belize’s national long-term digital transformation strategy. Looking ahead, the government and its partners have already laid out plans to expand the initiative to cover additional high-priority technical areas, including cybersecurity and advanced cloud computing. “The most important part of that future is our people. We must equip Belizeans with the skill to use technology, create value through it, and seize opportunities that did not exist a generation ago,” Garcia said.
Talent Up Belize is integrated into the IDB’s regional America en el Centro development framework, a broad initiative focused on boosting skills development and improving economic competitiveness across Latin America and the Caribbean. Program organizers noted that the successful completion of the first cohort paves the way for future training rounds that will open digital skills access to hundreds more Belizeans in the coming years.