There has been high praise again for the Competency-Based Training Fund (CBTF), a project which forms part of Component One of the Skills For The Future Program (SFTF).
A visiting team of officials from the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), who last March lauded the success of the CBTF, has yet again expressed satisfaction with the progress being made by that Fund.
While on a tour of a training session at the Barbados Port Inc., being held in conjunction with the Caribbean Maritime Institute, IDB???s Education Lead Specialist, Dr. Sabine Reible-Aubourg said: ???For the CBTF, we are very excited because this component is implementing very well.
“Earlier this calendar year, the third cycle of proposals was concluded and six proposals were successful in obtaining funding, bringing up the total proposals to 25 that are being currently financed under the CBTF.???
She added: ???This component has been implemented very well and we will continue to monitor very closely and to visit the winning partnerships, as we consider it a very innovative component of the project given that it is aiming to bring together the private business sector and training institutions. What we have seen so far, is that these partnerships are working??? and the implementation thus far has been very promising.???
IDB consultant, Dr. Juan Prawda, while acknowledging that the Government of Barbados would want to know whether the investment was worth it, said: ???To answer that question one would have to see results. Results in terms of benefits for the company in terms of reduced accidents, increased productivity and also benefits for the trainees in terms of allowing them the opportunity for a career path, where they can assume more responsibilities and have mobility within the company or the division.???
Human Resources Manager of the Barbados Port Inc., Peter Carrington, while reporting on progress, noted that 16 candidates completed their training in the first quarter last year. This year, two sets of training were started, one in April to May and the other this month, and scheduled to conclude in August.
???We are awaiting from the TVET Council the instruments to do the operational skills. We are hoping to get the instruments by the end of August and we can commence the training from September,??? Mr. Carrington revealed.
Explaining that they were placing greater focus on non-operational skills, he said: ???We are hoping look what benefits can be derived from this training, and one would be reduction of accidents [and] we are looking at employment production and the management of accidents,??? he said.
The Barbados Port Inc. and Caribbean Maritime Institute came together in a partnership last year, and submitted a proposal for funding to the Competency-Based Training Fund. That funding, which is worth $501,000, is expected to upgrade the skills of port workers and support the SFTF goal of realising an employer-driven training system, and, ultimately, aligning the supply of training with market demand.
The IDB???s administrative mission this month is aimed at assessing progress with the US $20 million SFTF programme, the loan contract of which was signed in November 2012 between the Government of Barbados and the IDB.
joy-ann.gill@barbados.gov.bb