The Tribune

Kenya Dixon considers the Bahamas Technical and Vocational Institute (BTVI) a “stepping stone.” She is convinced that it served as a foundation for her to complete her bachelor’s degree and to be the recipient of several promotions.

A native of Grand Bahama, Kenya enrolled in BTVI in 2016 to study towards an Associate of Applied Science Degree in office administration. Back then, she was a clerk at the National Insurance Board (NIB) and after completing her degree in 2019, she was promoted to claims officer. Today, she is an inspector.

“Listen, God is something. The same year of my graduation a position became available in the Claims Department to become a Claims Officer. And guess what was the requirement? An associate degree. So, I graduated and got promoted in the same year - all because I took that leap of faith and started BTVI,” she exclaimed.

Although the journey was not easy, Kenya said it was worth it.

“I studied part-time. It was a bit challenging for me because I worked full-time at NIB and was a mother with two babies, but BTVI helped me to regain my focus on my goals. It helped me to be more consistent and it gave me a zeal to want more out of life. I took every opportunity presented to me as a driving force to shape my future. There were some long nights and early mornings, but the instructors were remarkable, the classes hands on and it was definitely worth it,” said the NIB employee of ten years.

“After completing my degree at BTVI, I was able to apply for positions at work and earned promotions because of it. Also, all of the credits earned at BTVI were accepted at DeVry University. BTVI was indeed the stepping stone for where I am today. I could not have been where I am if I hadn’t started,” said the alumna.

BTVI awakened in Kenya a love for learning. After graduating, she realised there was more she wanted and needed to learn. Hence, she began the process to enroll online at DeVry University. She was proud to say that as of August 2022 she became the holder of a Bachelor’s Degree in management, Summa Cum Laude.

“After BTVI, it took a while for me to get back into the classroom setting. That was because shortly after graduating BTVI we had the horrific Hurricane Dorian which hit the island of Grand Bahama. It was a time of recovery for a lot of us,” said Kenya.

Today, Kenya is proud she has ascended to inspector.

“Being an inspector is an accomplishment for me and one of the driving forces as to why I started BTVI to further my education. As an inspector, I have to be hands-on, focused and thorough. The discipline I received at BTVI prepared me in so many ways for my career today. BTVI helped boost my confidence and my drive to continue to push. My kids had a live picture of what hard work and dedication can do,” she said.

• The BTVI Story is a bi-weekly column which highlights the who, what and why of the Bahamas Technical and Vocational Institute (BTVI), a tertiary institution where individuals ‘Discover the Possibilities’ related to various trades. The column is produced by BTVI’s Office of Public Relations.