The National Training Agency of Grenada facilitated a competency-based education and training (CBET) and Caribbean Vocational Qualification (CVQ) programme held for assessors from within OECS member states from March 12-16, 2018 at the Rex Grenadian Resort, St. George’s, Grenada. This followed a similar workshop for instructors held in Antigua from March 5 – 9, as part of capacity building of member states in curriculum development, instruction, assessment and accreditation for the Eastern Caribbean Institute of Tourism (ECIT).
The CBET/CVQ workshop was attended by two representatives from each member state (Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, British Virgin Islands, Dominica, Grenada, Montserrat, St Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, and St Vincent and the Grenadines). The training is a project of the OECS Commission. It’s project and administrative officer, Maria Fowell, noted that, “a key objective of the Grenada workshop is to build a cadre of regionally qualified individuals who will be skilled to develop and offer the CBET/CVQ curriculum approach, as required at ECIT partner institutions across the region.” Fowell further noted, that on completion of the training, the capacity of the OECS officials to conduct CBET/CVQ assessments would have been strengthened. The Grenada workshop is one component of the training, participants are expected to build portfolios, do practicums, and be assessed against the Asessement Level 4 CVQ standard in the upcoming months.
Chief Executive Officer of the National Training Agency, Kingsley L. Morgan observed at the opening ceremony that the NTA has been working closely with employers to meet their demands for training in the various sectors. He said the NTA was happy to contribute to education and training in the OECs and have done so on several occasions in the past. Expressing his pleasure with the OECS ECIT project he said there is a need for training in the tourism sector to reflect vibrancy of that industry. He noted that the CVQ is ideal for addressing workforce development in the region.
The workshops drew on regional and international best practice. Critical areas covered included the regional qualifications framework; the regional TVET Strategy; introduction to and characteristics of CBET, principles of CBET; assessment in CBET; introduction to and interpretation of occupational standards; procedures for planning, conducting and reviewing assessment; developing assessment tools; instruments for conducting assessment; and quality assurance issues in assessment.
ECIT comprises centres of excellence in nine OECS member states, each offering an area of specialisation in tourism and hospitality training and education. ECIT was established with grant funding from the European Union to the tune of 4 million euros, as part of the tenth EDF Economic Integration and Trade of the OECS Region project. The primary purpose of ECIT is to harmonize and enhance the tourism and hospitality sector in the OECS through continued improvements in human resource development and knowledge management.
