Education

Youth Thrive Through NTI-AI Programme

Twenty-seven young trainees of the Barbados YouthADVANCE Corps (BYAC) stood proudly in the Courtney Blackman Grand Salle at the National Transformation Initiative’s Advance Initiative (NTI-AI) Graduation Ceremony, on Wednesday, August 28.

Parents and supportive stakeholders joined the graduates in celebrating their transformative journey with NTI-AI that equipped them with essential skills for the future. Described as a “lifeline,” the programme has been credited with enhancing their work-life skills, digital proficiency, and communication abilities that will bolster their technical-vocational training assignments at various institutions.

BTI-AI EXPLAINED

The NTI-AI programme, originally called Technical Vocational Transitional Literacy Programme (TVTLP), continues to embody NTI’s mission of empowering Barbadians through diverse learning opportunities. Led by a new team headed by a Special Education Diagnostician and Literacy Specialist, the programme focused on developing both functional literacy and essential skills needed for personal and professional success, enabling trainees to effectively navigate their chosen technical and vocational career paths. It also featured career tours designed to expose the trainees to various sectors, enhancing their understanding of potential career opportunities.

Allyson Murray, NTI-AI Lead Facilitator, commended the trainees, stating, “The site visits provided a tangible link between theory and practice. We saw you apply the instruction in real-world settings, and for us, this was a testament to your understanding and adaptability.”

PROJECTS SHOWCASED

The ceremony also highlighted creative projects produced by the trainees, showcasing their newly acquired skills in video production, content creation, and digital storytelling. These projects were developed under the guidance of NTI partner TAPP Digital Incorporated, reflecting the diverse capabilities the trainees have developed.

NTI also recognised eight exceptional trainees with Samsung Galaxy Tablets as an encouragement to continue pursuing their lifelong learning, not only for their outstanding performance in the programme, but for exceeding expectations by completing the NTI flagship Citizenship Course as well as taking the initiative to successfully complete multiple NTI-Coursera courses.

EIGHT STARS

The eight STARR Bajan awardees included Devon Atkinson, Rolando Cain, Matthew Goodridge, Jaheim Kellman, Kymara Trotman, Sergio Parris, Ayana Griffith, and Demaril Thorpe.

Demaril Thorpe, NTI-AI Class Ambassador, electrified the room as he shared his reflections on the programme, stating, “The NTI course impacted me a lot; it made me a better communicator… People would tell you to chase your dreams, but I was never a fan of that. I’m someone who has a vision, and I believe you should follow your vision… A dream is something you go to sleep and wake up from.” Thorpe’s commitment to the programme was evident as he completed several NTI courses, including Core Skills, Occupational Safety and Health, Personal Financial Management, and Entrepreneurship, in addition to the Citizenship course. He also completed NTI-Coursera courses such as Introduction to Generative AI and Introduction to Large Language Models.

The interactive keynote address was delivered by Dr. Kevin Greenidge, Governor of the Central Bank of Barbados, who emphasised the importance of setting goals, maintaining a positive mindset, working hard, and giving back. Speaking directly to the graduates about his journey, he said, “You might think that you are there and I am here, and there’s a gulf between us. The only gulf between us is your imagination… Once you can imagine it, you can achieve it.”

Also in attendance were The Hon. Charles Griffith, Minister, Ministry of Youth, Sports, and Community Empowerment and his Permanent Secretary Mrs. Joy Adamson, ; Hally Haynes, Director, Barbados YouthADVANCE Corps; Dr. The Hon. Allyson Leacock, Director, NTI; Mrs. Melissa Nurse-Herbert, BYAC Senior Programme Officer; and Mrs. Markiesha Alleyne, NTI-AI Coordinator.

NTI-AI is a collaboration between the Barbados YouthADVANCE Corps (BYAC) and the National Transformation Initiative (NTI), aimed at equipping young people with the skills and knowledge necessary to excel in their technical and vocational programmes and succeed in a competitive job market. The Central Bank of Barbados has partnered with NTI in facilitating the graduation ceremony over the past two years. (PR/GIS)

CAPTION: Graduands and guests at the National Transformation Initiative’s Advance Initiative (NTI-AI) Graduation Ceremony, recently.

Education

2024-2025 Academic School Year Started Today

Following the in-progress planning week for administration and teachers, the 2024-2025 school year will officially started today Monday, September 16, for students.

According to the Ministry of Education, Technological and Vocational Training, there will be 38 weeks of instruction for the new academic year.

The Michaelmas term (Term I) will run for 13 weeks. During this term, there will be Teachers’ Professional Day, occurring on Friday, October 25. There will also be a mid-term break from Thursday, October 31, to Friday, November 1, 2024.

The term will conclude for students on Thursday, December 12, 2024, and for teachers on Friday, December 13, 2024.

Following a three-week vacation, the Hilary Term (Term II), will begin on Monday, January 6, for teachers and Tuesday, January 7, 2025, for students. This term will also have 13 weeks of teaching with a two-day break occurring from Thursday, February 20, to Friday, February 21, 2025.

The term ends Thursday, April 3 and Friday, April 4, 2025, for students and teachers, respectively.
Term III, also called the Trinity Term, will run for 12 weeks. Teachers will resume on Tuesday, April 22, while students will return to the classroom on Wednesday, April 23. There will be a one-day mid-term break, on Friday, June 6.

The school year officially ends for students on Thursday, July 10, and Friday, July 11, for educators. (PR/GIS)

Education

BECCS Workshops On Résumé Writing & Interviewing Techniques

Barbadians seeking to learn how to write résumés and perform well on job interviews, can do so when the Barbados Employment and Career Counselling Service (BECCS) hosts two workshops, later this month.

The workshops, to be held on Tuesday, September 24, and Wednesday, September 25, will both address Résumé Writing and Interviewing Skills.

They will be conducted in the Amphitheatre, 1^st Floor, Warrens Office Complex, Warrens, St. Michael, from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Applicants may call 535-1535/47/48/59; 256-2290/832-0532/262-6498/832-0480, by Friday, September 20, to confirm their interest.

Education

Financial Literacy Facilitators Enhance Skills

The 17 facilitators for the National Financial Literacy Programme’s (NFLP) schools’ component, FLITE, have been given an opportunity to enhance their skills and become more effective in the classroom.

A one-day FLITE Facilitators Enhancement Training Workshop, which was conducted by Inspire Leadership Solutions Group, was held recently at the Warrens Office Complex.

Programme Coordinator for the schools’ component, Corey Worrell, explained that the workshop had several objectives, including developing and refining core facilitation skills to create dynamic and inclusive learning experiences.

“Additionally, our aims were to strengthen team-building skills to enhance collaboration and communication among facilitators; equip facilitators with innovative strategies and tools to effectively engage learners in the FLITE Programme, with a particular focus on experiential learning; and foster a deeper understanding of the diverse learning needs of participants to ensure an impactful programme delivery.

“This will ensure that all facilitators are adequately prepared to deliver the FLITE Programme and maintain a level of consistency in our standards of execution,” Mr. Worrell said.

Managing Director of Inspire Leadership Solutions Group, Dario Richards, described the financial literacy facilitators as “excellent”, and pointed out that his organisation was “enhancing their skills” so they would be effective in the classroom.

Mr. Richards outlined that the four main topics covered during the workshop were the journey of change; effective facilitation; experiential learning; and team building.

Stating that change is a journey, the Managing Director noted that within it, there are core milestones. With regard to effective facilitation, he pointed out that facilitators were different from teachers, and they therefore needed to have the requisite skills to be effective in the classroom.

“Experiential learning is our (Inspire Leadership’s) core training style. Persons learn by not just sharing content or PowerPoint slides, but engaging in activities and games, in discussions and debates, so people don’t only have theory but they have experiences,” he stated.

Underscoring the importance of the one-day training, Mr. Richards continued: “A facilitator’s role is to carry individuals on a journey of change…. So, I think this is important because you’re introducing new financial literacy content into a school setting, which for some may be easy to grasp, while for others it may not be such an easy topic to grasp, depending on their background.”

Mr. Richards stressed that it was necessary to tap into all the different learning styles to meet people “where they are at”. (PR/GIS)

Caption: Participants of the one-day FLITE Facilitators Enhancement Training Workshop which was conducted by Inspire Leadership Solutions Group