The Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Council will embark on a project early next year which will help persons gain credit towards their National and Caribbean Vocational Qualifications.
This was disclosed by Executive Director of the TVET Council, Henderson Eastmond, who explained that the new pilot programme entitled Prior Learning, Assessment and Recognition (PLAR) involved the identification, documentation and assessment of prior learning.
???It is a process by which individuals can gain credit towards NVQs and CVQs, based on the evidence from past experience ??? work as well as formal and non-formal learning situations ??? gained in a skill over a period of time. These experiences may result from either formal learning such as in training institutions, workshops, seminars, conferences and work experience (paid or voluntary) or in an informal environment such as self-directed study and research.???
Speaking last Friday at TVET???s Employers??? Recognition Awards Ceremony at the Accra Beach Hotel, Mr. Eastmond also disclosed that the Employment and Training Fund (ETF), which is managed by the TVET Council, had disbursed over $19 million to train 37, 411 persons since March 1997.
The Executive Director added that the Competence-based Training Fund Management Unit, which is intended to finance opportunities for training and development partnerships between employers and training providers, was now set up under the TVET Council.
The Fund will provide opportunities to train, assess and certify workers to approved occupational standards as part of the Inter-American Development Bank ???funded Skills for the Future Programme, which support the Barbados Human Resource Development Strategy.
Mr. Eastmond said a Public Relations campaign for the Fund is expected to be launched early next year, however, employers and training providers could contact the TVET Council to ascertain if they qualified for funding.
andre.skeete@barbados.gov.bb