Kingston, Jamaica - The JetBlue MSBM Financial Literacy Program by way of its introductory short course, “Financial Literacy and Managing Your Money” has engaged over 700 applicants, with approximately 450 active participants benefiting from its weekly peer chat since May 2024. Delivered on a user-friendly online platform, the program has reached individuals from diverse backgrounds across the Caribbean region. As the course approaches its conclusion, participants can look forward to a celebration event that will highlight their progress and achievements.
JetBlue’s commitment to enriching the Caribbean region came as no surprise, given their strong focus on youth and education. JetBlue.com has stated, “We are passionate about inspiring the next generation … and creating award-winning programs.” They were proud to partner with our business school to champion greater awareness of credit and debt management. Additionally, with the launch of their travel credit portfolio in collaboration with MasterCard and CBIC, JetBlue recognized the importance of fostering financial literacy across the Caribbean landscape.
In today’s world, where AI and vast amounts of information are at our fingertips, we’re more inundated with knowledge than ever before. While some can leverage information to their advantage, others struggle to make sense of it all. Financial literacy meets people at different stages in life, whether young, middle-aged, or even later in life, helping them find a foundation for managing their money. Therefore, each learners’ access point is different.
As Warren Buffett once said, “Someone’s sitting in the shade today because someone planted a tree a long time ago.” The earlier you start building financial knowledge, the more advantages you gain. While a single idea might spark the path to wealth, the true focus should be on managing it effectively.
After all, how well do you really understand your finances? What does “financial education” even mean to you? AFI’s National Financial Education Strategy Toolkit (2020), defines financial education as “a process of providing people with the knowledge, skills, attitude, and exposure through access to relevant objective information, and training to enable them to make informed financial decisions and take actions appropriate to their circumstances”.
Our program has taken meaningful strides in attracting motivated students, UWI alumni, and their relatives to embark on a self-paced journey toward mastering the tools needed to “Jet to Wealth.” Our approach was simple:
- Invite students to embark on a wealth-building journey
- Walk them through four comprehensive modules, namely: Money Management, Credit management, Debt Management, Investment and Retirement Planning.
- Reward them with relevant resources and incentives for higher learning.
In speaking of her experience, Simone Williams, a student from Jamaica explained, “The course provided valuable insights into investment strategies and financial principles. The modules on risk tolerance and time value of money were especially useful for making informed decisions and improving personal financial planning”.
After nine months of engaging twenty-three cohorts across more than eight Caribbean countries, we are excited to prepare for our close-out event in the first quarter of 2025. The event will be held at the MSBM, Mona campus, and will feature a hybrid format, combining in-person and virtual elements to connect with both local and overseas students. This occasion will serve as a celebration of our students' achievements and a chance to express gratitude to our sponsors and partners who made this program possible. For more information on courses under the JetBlue MSBM Financial Literacy Program, please email us at msbm.marketing@uwimona.edu.jm.
Natovia Shand
Project Coordinator
