President of the National Institute of Higher Education, Research, Science and Technology (NIHERST), Dr. Fazal Ali, says the organisation is placing greater emphasis on artificial intelligence, as it seeks to prepare young people for the jobs of the future.
“NIHERST is completing its strategic plan right now with the Board of Governors and we hope to go heavy into artificial intelligence, robotics, 3-D printing. There’ll be a focus on the environment and the earth, security with digital and data, and these are just some of the areas that we are now planning to support the initiatives of the government of Trinidad and Tobago.”
Dr. Ali also highlighted the success of the Future Leaders Internship Programme (FLIP), which provides training opportunities for young people between the ages of 17 and 21.
“We are currently delivering AI training with the Flip programme which had an overwhelming number of students subscribing to it, so much so we had to find additional tutors, we had to find additional venues. Some of the venues were so overwhelmed we had difficulties with power, difficulties with internet provision because it was all for tertiary students and the tertiary level students gave up their vacation and they registered for our training in the Flip programme which is really a project led by the honourable Prime Minister.”
Dr. Ali made the comments during an International Literacy Day event hosted by NIHERST at Nipal Presbyterian Primary School in Tableland.