Minister of Tertiary Education and Skills Training, Professor Prakash Persad, says Government is preparing to bring legislation to Parliament to modernise the country’s apprenticeship and skills training framework, replacing the more than 100-year-old Industrial Training Act.
The announcement came from Minister of Tertiary Education and Skills Training, Professor Prakash Persad, as he addressed the launch of the National Training Agency’s ‘Touch of TVET’ event in Cedros on Saturday.
“A national apprenticeship policy has been passed. Would you believe right now the Act that deals with apprenticeship and industrial training is over 100 years old. We’re going to repeal that and put a proper act in place that NTA will be in charge of certifying training for the country.”
Professor Persad said a review of Tertiary Education institutions revealed that many rural communities lack access to training opportunities.
“The Honourable Prime Minister who holds education dear to her heart wants to change that. We’re changing that. The Debe campus will open in the not to distant future and we’re trying to expand training right through the country, especially in the parts that are missing. We were in Rio Claro recently, we’re here now. We are going to go through all the so called rural communities.”
The Minister said Government is committed to expanding access to education and skills training, particularly in underserved regions.
“We have endless schools around, including GVC which falls under my Ministry and we’re going to start using them: YTEPP, NESC, MIC. Now I had to, not Mr. Gupta so much, but I had some strong words for NESC, not rough words but strong, and MIC that we need to reach out to the communities. We need to share facilities. Don’t tell me that this is NESC and that is MIC etc. We all is one country, one people, one Government and we’re going to use it that way.”
Meanwhile, MP for Point Fortin, Ernesto Kesar, used the opportunity to reassure residents that efforts are underway to reopen the Government Vocational Centre and the Chatham Youth Camp.
“We will find a way to help Minister Watts to open Chatham Youth Camp, brothers and sisters, we will find a way. Not next year, I don’t make joke with my words, I don’t make joke with what I say. Not next year. Brothers and sisters we have a plan to get Chatham Youth Camp up and ready, maybe not ready to take in people, but to get it ready before the end of this year.”
The Touch of TVET initiative provides school leavers, job seekers and entrepreneurs with information on training and certification opportunities through the National Training Agency.