The Ministry of Tertiary Education and Skills Training is hoping to deepen ties between academia and industry to produce more job-ready graduates and drive innovation across Trinidad and Tobago.
That’s according to Line Minister Professor Prakash Persad who spoke to Mahalia Joseph-Wharton on Saturday.
At the 2025 Professional Development and Registration of Engineers in Trinidad and Tobago at the University of the West Indies, St. Augustine campus on Saturday, Minister of Tertiary Education and Skills Training, Professor Prakash Persad spoke to TTT news about government’s approach to encourage practical engineering education and applied research to fuel sustainable development.
Following his speech, questions on the Accreditation and practical certification were raised by those present. Minister Persad noted that a model similar to medical internships could strengthen the professional readiness of local engineers.
“In developed countries, when you graduate as an engineer, you need to work in industry and it’s sort of internship period, you see how doctors go to internship and they certify you and then you can practice, engineers is done in developed countries, here we don’t do it, so that we need to do, people need to be convinced that you have practical experience because when you go to work, you’re not going to cause unnecessary damage, so that I intend to work with the professional associations and industry to see if we can get some sort of reciprocal recognition in that regard.”
He emphasized the value of industry-embedded learning for engineering students at both the University of the West Indies and the University of Trinidad and Tobago.
“What we do is, if the students who graduate understand what industry is, work in industry problems, when they go there, they’re more qualified, industry will spend less time training them and become more productive right away.”
He explained that student final year projects are already being done in collaboration with local companies, helping align academic output with national needs.
The Ministry is also supporting innovation that creates employment—like a UTT-CARIRI partnership, turning waste tyres into usable materials for roadworks and manufacturing.
“So it creates jobs, it creates products, and that we can export also, but more importantly, we can set up such small enterprises right through the country, so you don’t have to bring a tyre from Rio Claro to the system in San Fernando to shred it, you can have it in all the counties, constituencies, etc”
Meanwhile, his Ministry is addressing duplication across institutions and establishing clear pathways for student progression from craft to degree level.
“Then the other thing is we want articulation, so if people go from the craft to technician to degree, we want to have that, a smooth articulation going that way.
And then the third thing is, which is formed from the science and technology policy, that the universities need to be creators of jobs, applied research, we need to not, you know, become ivory tower, open the doors of university to everybody.”
Minister Persad said collaboration between government, institutions, and the public is key.
“Education is very close to the Prime Minister’s heart, and she wants to make sure we take the country forward together, everybody together.”
Minister Persad also met with the Principal of the University of the West Indies, St. Augustine campus, Professor Rose-Marie Belle Antoine to discuss matters relating to the University.