Teachers urged to upgrade skills
News
April 28, 2006

Teachers urged to upgrade skills

The more skills you have, the more employable you become, this is the view of co-ordinator of the St. Vincent Technical Vocational, Education and Training, STAVET project Kenmore Ellis.

Ellis pointed out that based on diagnostic findings conducted last year by the Human Employment and Resource Training, HEART Trust from Jamaica, there was a need for Technical and Vocational teachers to upgrade their skills. {{more}}

He noted that this diagnostic assessment of teachers was conducted through an invitation by the Ministry of Education, and over 50 teachers now have improved their skills in hospitality training.

Ellis outlined that the STAVET programme which began in 2001 has been making remarkable strides and the notion that if you cannot use your head academically, then you use your hands must be a thing of the past.

He expounded, “Technical vocational training is no longer limited. With

the onslaught of the Caribbean Single Market and Economy (CSME), people need to be better equipped to earn money in a variety of areas.”

He went on, “If there isn’t employment in one area, then a skilled person can easily switch to another skilled area, they must become multi-skilled. That’s the overall objective of STATVET, to increase economic competitiveness by providing a better trained and educated workforce.”

Ellis noted that over 50 teachers who graduated on Friday, April 21, at the Murray Heights Hotel at McKie’s Hill were trained from April 10 to 26 and another batch of teachers would be trained in Science and Technology from June 12 to 30.