GITC attributes increased interest in programmes to emerging oil and gas sector – Principal – Career fair shows linkages between training and industry
(May 10th, 2018) – The Guyana Industrial Training Centre (GITC) has experienced an increase in the interest shown by persons into the programmes offered by the institution. This was disclosed today by the Principal of (GITC) Mr. Dexter Cornette at the school’s Open Day and Career Fair held in its compound on Woolford Avenue.
Principal of GITC, Mr. Dexter Cornette.
Mr. Cornette was at the time making the feature address at the opening of the day’s exercise. He attributes the increased interest shown in GITC to enhanced awareness in the public domain of Technical, Vocational Education and Training (TVET) and the emerging oil and gas sector in Guyana.
“We also believe that the birthing of Guyana realising that it has all this oil potential…we have seen the interest in training increased to a large extent. Whether its persons now realising that wow they can now have a slice of the cake out of the oil sector or not, we have seen an interest being developed this year in terms of the selling of our application forms, we have seen more of it being issued from the time that we started compared to the previous year. We attribute that to the very fact of the awareness that is being done in TVET and to the emerging oil and gas sector.”
Mr. Cornette added that development in any nation needs to have training. He said that it is important to have skilled personnel that will go into different sectors.
He said that the GITC was established in 1966 at a time when the country was lacking tradesmen. Further, he said that the GITC has continued to play that role over the years to offer training to young people along with the help of a number of partners inclusive of private sector entities, some of which were established by past students of the institution.
A GITC student explaining the parts of an engine block to a curious teacher and her students.
Mr. Cornette explained that the Open Day and Career Fair serves to demonstrate that there is a link between training and industries. He said that one of the objectives of the Open Day and Career Fair is to allow visiting students to think about their career path through TVET.
The theme of the Open Day and Career Fair is “TVET, the pathway to development”. Mr. Cornette said, “We believe that Technical Vocation Education and Training is the pathway to development. When we think about TVET we can see that there are so many areas that come out of TVET that would play a very important role in the development of this country. We can look at developed countries and see that they used Technical Education to propel them to greater heights because they understand the importance of training and development.”
Mr. Cornette stated further that there are a number of young persons in society without practical skills; however, he believes that if those youths are equipped with such skills, they can progress to higher heights of personal achievement.
The courses offered at the institution are Furniture Making, Electrical Installation, Automotive Mechanic, Metal Work Engineering, Masonry, Plumbing, Welding and Information Technology.
Moving forward, Mr. Cornette said that the institution will continue to place emphasis on the competency-based methodology of training. “We want to continue to go in that direction as we seek to have our training more student centred where they have the pleasure of completing the course in their own time within a structured framework and so no longer do they have to finish a programme within a year or within six months or within eight months but they have some flexible time that they can take their time to go over a practical assessment.”
He said that since the students can move at their pace, students that are fast learners can move ahead without feeling held back by slower learners in the classroom while slower learners can take their time to complete the programme without having to feel like a failure. According to him, this methodology, therefore, gives all students the opportunity to be successful in their field of study.
Some of the private entities that were on display yesterday were the Guyana Bureau of Standards, the Guyana Police Force, the Guyana Defence Force, the Guyana Fire Service, the Ministry of Social Protection, Industrial Safety Supplies Inc., Bumper to Bumper Services, Government Technical Institute, Brass Aluminium and Cast Iron Foundry (BACIF) Limited and the Guyana Coast Guard.
Pieces of furniture made by the Furniture Making class in collaboration with Bumper to Bumper Services.
Students of Lodge Secondary engaging with a representative from.
Students of GITC being briefed by a representative from the Guyana Fire Service.
Students of the Automotive Mechanic class demonstrating the workings of a vehicle.