Basseterre, St. Kitts (August 7, 2013) — The 36 persons undertaking training through the People Employment Programme’s (PEP) Women in Construction Trades (WICT) conducted at All Solutions International at the CAP Southwell Industrial Park are now preparing to undertake the technical component of their training.
Coordinator of Women in Construction Trades, Mrs Celia Christopher, said there are three components in the training programme, which include life skills whose duration was three months and one that focused on the personal development of the trainees.
The Coordinator for WICT observed that since the People Employment Programme (PEP) takes a holistic approach to training, a counselling component has been added to the programme, which consists of pastoral, clinical and career counselling to provide intervention for those trainees who are in need of such.
“Over the next few months the trainees will be engaged in the technical component of the programme, which will focus on the practical or hands-on aspect,” revealed Mrs Christopher on Friday August 2 when she addressed trainees in Women in Construction Trades, and invited guests during the fifth monthly seminar entitled ‘From the Basement to the Attic’.
“This consists of module activities that form part of the TVET training programme,” commented Mrs Christopher. “The business component is the final aspect of the programme. This will focus on the development of business skills, and trainees will be engaged in the development of business plans, financial literacy training and the business lab project.”
Mrs Christopher pointed out that the Technical Vocation Education, Entrepreneurship and Training (TVET) programme is essential for the free movement of persons across the Caribbean region and part of the requirement of the programme is the acquisition of the Caribbean Vocational Qualification (CVQ) certificate.
“However, in order to receive the certificate the trainees will first have to be tested and assessed by local and external assessors prior to receiving the TVET certificate and the development of a portfolio which documents all the trainees have learned during the activities including the activities which they are engaged in plays a very important role in the process,” pointed out Mrs Christopher.
The next step for the Women in Construction Trades trainees will be the business development component which will run concurrently with the rest of the technical component programme. She told the trainees that those who are inclined to be self employed will be referred to either the Women in Small Enterprise (WISE) or Small Enterprise Assistance Fund (SEAF) programmes, which will provide financial assistance to small and micro businesses.
Also addressing the trainees was facilitator of the programme and proprietor of All Solution International, Mr Walcott Hillocks, who noted that the trainees “are in an upward movement from the basement of the construction industry to the attic of the same, where we are moving our participants up the ladder so they can decide as they move up what floor they want to stay up, but regardless of what floor anyone decides to stay up, the programme goes to the attic.”
Guest speaker at the fifth monthly seminar, ‘From the Basement to the Attic’, was former Permanent Secretary Mr Lloyd Lazar. In the ‘stand and deliver’ segment of the programme three trainees, Jemin Williams talked on laying bricks and installing a walk-way, Shirlyn Boddie talked on drywalls, while Tamara Richards talked on plumbing and water connections.