Development of Occupational Standards
The NTA works in consultation with industry experts, employers, training providers and professional bodies to develop and maintain national occupational standards which clearly define the competencies which are required for effective workplace performance. The Standards, once validated by the Grenada Council for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (GCTVET) are disseminated through distribution to the Ministry of education, prospective providers, and libraries. The Standards are also available through the NTA’s website – www.grenadanta.gd.
NTA’s qualified staff can also be contracted to develop company-specific occupational standards for employers who are interested in raising skill levels of employees in specific areas.
Development of National Vocational Qualifications (NVQs)
A standardized qualification for technical and vocational education and training is presently being developed and introduced by the National Training Agency, as part of the (Technical and Vocational Education and Training) TVET reform. Based on the competency standards set by industry experts, the qualification will be offered for TVET courses at different levels. The new qualification framework will allow people at any stage in their life to have access to training and/or certification which is at the right level for them. NVQs will be available at five different levels.
Quality Enhancement and Auditing Support for TVET Providers
The NTA’s Quality Assurance Department provides guidance and support to training providers in the widespread use of best practices and occupational standards as it pertains to TVET. Assistance is offered in such areas as Quality Management Systems, Staff and Physical Resources, Delivery and Assessment. The NTA delivers training for assessors, internal and external verifiers, facility auditors and instructors.
Accreditation of Training Providers
In accordance with the requirements of the Caribbean Association of National Training Agencies (CANTA) the NTA has developed and implemented a Centre Approval Policy. All training centres that offer candidates for National Vocational Qualification (NVQ) or Caribbean Vocational Qualifications are required to become Approved Training and Assessment Centres. The NTA’s Centre Approval Policy is available for download on this website.
Initially the NTA offered Pre-qualification status to training providers that met the minimum established standards for the delivery of training. The NTA no longer uses the pre-qualification and all training providers are now required to become Approved Training Centres. The goal is to eventually move from centre approval to full accreditation of training institutions.
Labour Market Signalling
Information on labour market demand and supply is critical to human resource planning as well as assessing training needs. The NTA works in collaboration with the Ministry of Labour, Central Statistical Office, Ministry of Education and the International Labour Organisation to access and analyse data as it pertains to signals and trends in the labour market. The NTA also works closely with employers and sector associations to gather labour market intelligence that will guide decision making with regards to standards development, training and certification.
Certification of Trainees/Candidates
A trainee/candidate upon successful achievement and completion of all units of competency will be assessed by a qualified Assessor and verified by an internal verifier at the training institution and then by an external verifier assigned by the NTA. The External Verifier is assigned by the Quality Assurance Coordinator of the NTA and will verify that the learner has indeed been assessed as competent in all units by a qualified Assessor in accordance with the relevant occupational standards and in keeping with the NTA’s Assessment Policy. A recommendation is then made to the GCTVET for approval of the certification of all candidates that have fulfilled all of the requirements for the qualification (NVQ or CVQ).
Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition
The National training Agency seeks to encourage the recognition of competencies currently held, regardless of how, when or where the learning occurred so that they may be counted towards the achievement of a qualification. These competencies may have been acquired through formal or informal training and education, work experience or general experience. After registering with the NTA for the APL programme, the candidate will be referred to an Approved Training Centre for assessment. The assessment can lead to NVQ or CVQ Unit certification or full NVQ/CVQ certification.
Dissemination of Training Information
Disseminating public information on technical and vocational training and promoting a culture of lifelong learning are areas of focus in the communications strategy of the NTA. This free service can be accessed by any member of the public wishing to obtain basic TVET career information, obtain referrals to TVET providers and get general information on NTA’s role, function, current and future projects. Brochures about the NTA, OECS (Grenada) Skills for Inclusive Growth Project and various aspects of the work of the NTA are also available. Information can also be accessed by visiting the NTA’s website at wwwgrenadanta.gd.
