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Henderson Eastmond, Executive Director of the Technical and Vocational Education and Training Council (TVETC). ??(Photograph courtesy of TVET Council)

The Caribbean Vocational Qualification (CVQ) programme marks a new phase in certification available to students in secondary schools.??

This was the key message stressed today by Executive Director of the Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Council, Henderson Eastmond, while addressing the official launch at the Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Centre.

Mr. Eastmond pointed out that this as well as the National Vocational Qualification (NVQ) programme was "part?? of the global effort by countries?? around the world to close that gap between technical and?? vocational education and training?? which is also referred to as workforce training, workforce development or education and?? training, and performance in the workplace".

He said it was for this reason that TVETC had embarked on a path of moving the education and training system to one that was competency based. Mr. Eastmond explained that competency based meant workforce training, assessment and certification based on occupational standards that described the knowledge, skills, understanding and attitudes which employers expect their employees to demonstrate in the organisation.

It was further noted that occupational standards described the quality of performance expected in the workplace and when individuals are assessed against these occupational standards by trained and certified assessors, they are then deemed competent. "When they have successfully met the standards, then the candidate will be awarded a CVQ," Mr. Eastmond said, adding that the CVQ Level One would represent tangible proof that an individual had demonstrated to practitioners the necessary expertise in the relevant occupational areas and was suitably competent.

According to the TVETC official, the CVQ certification had been sanctioned by CARICOM as proof to allow the region’s skilled workforce to??enjoy the benefit of free movement under the Caribbean Single Market and Economy.?? He explained that it was endorsed by regional employers who had met with the TVET Council and national training agencies (NTAs) across the region to first develop the occupational standards on which the CVQs are based and, validate the qualification for use in education, training and assessment across the region.

He added that CARICOM had agreed that the Caribbean Examinations Council would award the CVQ Level One certification in the secondary schools, while the national training agencies, including the TVET Council, and NTAs in Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago and Barbados had been approved by CARICOM as awarding bodies in their respective countries for the NVQs and CVQs in the workplace.??

joy-ann.gill@barbados.gov.bb

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