Nearly 3,000 secondary-school students have earned Caribbean Vocational Qualification certification this year.
Chief Education Officer Saddam Hussain said on Tuesday that the 2,813 students received training in 17 skill areas.
Explaining the value of the qualification, Hussain said it is designed to demonstrate that students can perform the practical skills in which they have been trained, giving them another route into employment while also allowing them to continue their education.
Breaking it down further, Hussain said, “This is something where our students put aside theoretical for the practical. So if we say you get a CVQ in tilapia production, it means, you know, to mind tilapia… until we cook it, that’s what it means.”
The programme covers fields ranging from agro-food processing and aquaculture to electrical installation, construction, motor vehicle repairs and welding.
Beyond these traditional trades, Hussain said, students are also being trained in commercial food preparation, garment making, housekeeping and office administration.
Of the 17 skill areas on offer, the Chief Education Officer noted that commercial food preparation is currently the most popular among students.
Rounding out the list is cricket pitch management, reflecting the expansion of vocational training into a wider range of practical skills.
