By Sherika Williams
KINGSTON, Jamaica, (JIS) – The HEART/NSTA Trust’s ‘Digital First’ transformational strategy, which aims to enhance customer satisfaction and drive organisational efficiency, will be guided by five pillars.
In his presentation during a Jamaica Information Service (JIS) ‘Think Tank’ on Wednesday, the Trust’s deputy managing director for corporate support, William Malabver, said the pillars that “will support the digital transformation are our front office transformation; back-office transformation; culture transformation; digitisation of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET); and Information and Communication Technology (ICT) modernisation.”
The heart of this digital journey is the organisation’s commitment to its customers, who include internal employees and external clients, that rely on the entity’s services and products, says Malabver.
Explaining the front office transformation, which is a primary objective, Malabver continued: “It is basically to enhance the corporate reputation image as well as to enhance customer experience, engagement and satisfaction through digital channels.”
This pillar will be achieved through key initiatives, including the deployment of intelligent self-service hubs and front office kiosks, omni-channel customer engagement platforms and digital marketing. The deputy managing director also pointed out that back-office processes will need to be automated for the front office to be effective.
“We’re talking about those processes that we would normally undertake manually to carry out those services, such as the processing of application forms and handling requests for services,” Malabver explained.
By automating routine processes, such as document handling and service requests, the Trust is freeing up resources to focus on strategic goals. Software, such as DocuSign, has been introduced to facilitate secure digital document signing, in addition to the efforts that are being made to digitise records to enhance accessibility and reduce physical storage needs.
For ICT modernisation, which serves as the backbone of the transformation, the HEART/NSTA Trust is focused on strengthening cybersecurity to protect data assets and infrastructure; leveraging cloud technologies for resilience and scalability, and implementing a data centre stretch cluster to ensure operational continuity, even in the face of disasters.
“These advancements will not only safeguard our operations, but also enable us to deliver a higher quality of service,” Malabver noted and acknowledged that, “digital transformation will not be successful if we don’t transform the minds of our coworkers and our team members.”
To ensure cultural transformation, the Trust is focused on fostering a culture that views technology as a tool to enhance work, rather than a threat.
Finally, with TVET being the Trust’s core mandate, its digitisation is a top priority.
“The digitisation of TVET is our primary business, and we have to digitally transform to ensure that our students are leaving equipped with the best tools, have access to the best technology and they are able to meet the new demands of the industry,” Malabver said.
This digitisation will involve transforming the learning management process, from application to certification, as well as establishing a Virtual Academy to expand access to skills training, locally and internationally.
“This will allow our Jamaicans overseas who work the standard 9:00 to 5:00 to access our skills training programmes through this Virtual Academy and earn skills that can increase their earning potential,” Malabver said.
With these pillars, the HEART/NSTA Trust is positioning itself as a leader in innovation and service excellence.
The Trust remains dedicated to empowering Jamaicans and driving national development through technical and vocational education.
