MONTEGO BAY, Jamaica – Twenty-one disc jocks from Jamaica’s tourism sector have achieved international certification through the Tourism Enhancement Fund’s (TEF) innovative DJ Academy program. This milestone was celebrated at the Jamaica Center for Tourism Innovation (JCTI) Awards and Recognition Ceremony on December 5, 2024, at the Montego Bay Convention Centre.

During the ceremony, Edmund Bartlett, Jamaica’s Minister of Tourism, highlighted how the program links two crucial sectors.

“The DJ Academy represents the harmonious blend of entertainment and tourism, two sectors that are pillars of Jamaica’s global appeal. By equipping our DJs with internationally recognized certification, we are not only enhancing the quality of our tourism product, but also creating a platform for Jamaican talent to shine on the global stage,” said Bartlett.

In a broader vision for the future of the industry, Minister Bartlett highlighted the strategic importance of professional certification.

“This certification of our DJs aims to position them as experts in their field. Providing international accreditation means giving them cumulative credentials that they can use locally and internationally. This is part of tourism’s pivot toward professionalization of the industry. We are convinced that the sustainable future of tourism does not lie in casual work, nor in working conditions as they currently exist, as tourism is transforming into a much more sophisticated industry.

“We recognize that there is a lot of talk about a short-term solution. But the solution we seek is a long-term solution – a sustainable solution. One that positions our workers and tourism stakeholders in an international space that allows respect for the quality of their work and the skills they have,” declared the minister.

The DJ Academy’s journey began in 2017 and reached a pivotal milestone in December 2023 with City & Guilds Assured accreditation, cementing its position as a world-class training institution. The program has since partnered with HEART/NSTA Trust to strengthen its certification process for DJs in the tourism sector.

The initiative’s success is backed by hard data: a 2017 survey by the Jamaica Tourist Board ranked music among the top five factors for visitor satisfaction. To date, the Academy has equipped more than 300 DJs with technical mastery and soft skills essential for excellence in tourism entertainment.

In the face of pandemic restrictions in 2020, the Academy demonstrated remarkable adaptability by transitioning to the JCTI learning management system for online delivery, maintaining rigorous standards while expanding accessibility.

The program’s impact is exemplified by graduates like Portland’s Cohen “DJ Ross Gomery” Ming, who now serves as both a DJ and special duties manager at Geejam. “The program transformed my knowledge of everything I knew about being a DJ. I took the assessment and passed with flying colors. I did my best and I feel good because I can be an ambassador for a program like this. Hats off to TEF and the team that made this possible,” he shared.