The Tribune

A Cabinet minister recently led officials of the Bahamas Technical and Vocational Institute (BTVI) to Orlando-based Valencia College on a fact-finding mission.

Jeffrey Lloyd, minister of education, was accompanied by BTVI’s president, Dr Robert W Robertson, and Andrew Gape, acting associate vice-president of finance. They visited Valencia College as BTVI prepares to rebuild its facilities following Hurricane Dorian, which demolished its Abaco facility while extensively damaging the Freeport campus.

BTVI officials are planning to rebuild with funding from the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) and the government. They are also aiming to develop training programmes to prepare the Bahamian workforce to meet the demand for skilled workers that will help rebuild these facilities.

The delegation visited the accelerated trades’ centre, along with Valencia College’s media and communication laboratories. They also met with Valencia’s president, Dr Sandy Shugart.

“There is a need for accelerated and industry-certified trades training in The Bahamas, and the Valencia model is certainly worth our consideration, particularly as we look to rebuild after Hurricane Dorian,” Mr Lloyd said.

BTVI and Valencia College are working on an articulation agreement that will allow the former’s business and information technology associate of applied science degree graduates to matriculate with credits into the US institution’s bachelor’s degree programmes. This agreement is anticipated to begin as early as August 2020.

Dr Robertson added that there will be further discussions with Valencia College to quickly assess how an accelerated trades training option can be introduced to help close the skills gap in The Bahamas.