Students enrolled in the Samuel Jackman Prescod Institute of Technology’s (SJPI) Automotive and Welding Department will get the opportunity to sharpen their skills thanks to a $30,000 donation of engine parts for a Caterpillar Marine 3208 and supplies.
The equipment was presented to the Principal, Ian Drakes and other staff members during a recent ceremony at the SJPI.
According to Divisional Officer for Engineering Lieutenant (Coast Guard), Jerome Belle, the donation is in keeping with the BDF’s mandate to assist in youth development, by way of investing in the ambitions and careers of the students.
Lieutenant Belle underscored the importance of the relationship between the BDF and the SJPI. “The BDF and the SJPI boast a positive and productive relationship, spanning over 20 years. This relationship has seen the annual training of students enrolled in the Diploma in Marine Diesel Engineering and the Diploma in Maritime Operations programmes at the Barbados Coast Guard (BCG). At present, there are 10 second-year students registered for the exchange training,” he added.
In accepting the donation, Mr. Drakes thanked the Coast Guard for investing in the island’s youth. “I hope they (the youth) learn to appreciate and apply the instructions that is delivered to them on a continuous basis,” he said.
As part of the programme, students are exposed to marine diesel engines, ship science, propulsion systems, and health and safety in the maritime environment.
Additionally, for six weeks during the summer, final-year students conduct their Industrial Attachment with the Barbados Coast Guard’s Engineering Division.
During this period, students benefit from on-the-job training, and today, some of the former students have secured jobs at the Barbados Port Inc., Atlantis Submarine Barbados, several local pleasure crafts, and at the Barbados Coast Guard.