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| Dr. Hensley Sobers, Chairman of the TVET Council gives an address to launch the inauguaral Worldskills Barbados Competition 2012, yesterday at the Pom Marine Hotel, Marine Gardens, Christ Church. (A.Miller/BGIS) |
Barbados’ technical and vocational education and training system should be strengthened with the launch of the inaugural Worldskills Barbados Competition 2012.
This view was expressed yesterday by the Chairman of the Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Council, Dr. Hensley Sobers, as he addressed a ceremony to launch the initiative at Pom Marine Hotel, Marine Gardens, Christ Church.
Dr. Sobers told his audience that the competition was an avenue to facilitate and highlight excellence in skills development that would meet international competence-based standards.
He disclosed that the winners would be given an opportunity to participate in the Worldskills International Competition, which is held every two years, in one of the 55 member countries. "The main objectives of the Worldskills Barbados Competition are to promote excellence in skills development and improve the performance standards of the workforce, increase the participation of employers in technical and vocational education and training and promote the value of technical and vocational skills and training," he explained.
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| Audience??in attendance at the??launch of the inauguaral Worldskills Barbados Competition 2012, yesterday at the Pom Marine Hotel. (A.Miller/BGIS)?? |
This competition, which has as its theme Shaping a World Class Workforce through Innovation, Creativity and Skills Development, will target students between the ages of 16 and 25 who are enrolled in the Samuel Jackman Prescod Polytechnic, the Barbados Community College and the Barbados Vocational Training Board.
They will compete in the areas of Culinary Arts, Beauty Therapy, Web Page Design, Fashion Technology, Automotive Technology and Hair Dressing. The preliminary rounds will be held in December 2011 and the finals next March.
Barbados is the second country in the English-speaking Caribbean to become a member of Worldskills International, which is a non-profit membership association open to agencies which have responsibility for promoting technical and vocational education in their respective countries.??