ETI to implement 6-Point Plan
─ to ensure training is relevant and demand-driven
DPI, Guyana, Wednesday, October 23, 2019
Since its establishment in June 2000, the Essequibo Technical Institute (ETI) has been delivering on its mandate to provide technical and vocational education to meet the demands for skilled manpower in the business industry.
It was recently announced by the Principal of the institute, Rawle Pearce that ETI has crafted a six-point plan to be implemented over the next two years; with the aim to ensuring their training programmes remain relevant and demand-driven.
Pearce was at the time addressing attendees at the graduation of over 90 persons who recently completed a six-month training programme facilitated by the Board of Industrial Training at the institute.
“In the next two years, there will be a review of the institute’s curriculum to reflect the realities of the job market; upgrade of trainers and lecturers; review of our methods of teaching to more modular formats and competency-based training; upgrade of our infrastructure; modification for the processes for assessment and certification and the re-alignment of our overall skills training to match the demand of our new and emerging industries,” Pearce outlined.
To this end, Pearce said the institution has begun work on each of the six areas. He explained that five lectures from ETI are on a full-time scholarship programme at the University of Guyana (UG). Three are pursuing their degrees in electrical, mechanical and civil engineering while another two are involved in academic advancement and post-graduate studies at the UG and the Government Technical Institute. “We are pursuing a vibrant continuous development programme on campus for lecturing and support staff,” Pearce added.
Resources are being procured for the establishment of two smart classrooms. The institute has also begun offering advanced engineering programmes for this academic year. Further ETI will seek to jointly create a supporting curriculum in oil and gas with the University of Guyana to ensure the institute’s graduates matriculate into the bachelor’s degree in petroleum engineering and chemical engineering programmes at the UG.
Pearce explained that ETI has started an aggressive trace of study to better monitor its graduates, with plans to conduct an extensive labour market survey to identify current training gaps.
Infrastructurally, in 2020, a state-of-the-art Autocad laboratory “will see all students exposed to computer-aided drawings,” Pearce noted, adding that the technical institute is pushing for full accreditation of all its programmes by the National Accreditation Council.
The premier institute offers courses in Carpentry, Joinery, Commerce, Radio and Electronics servicing and Competency-Based Education and Training, such as Data Operations, Furniture Making, Welding, Metal Work Engineering, Motor Vehicle Engine Systems, and Electrical Installation.