"Preparing Tomorrow's Workforce, Today"
Meagan Sylvester
Manager, Research and Development
November 2011
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Premise 1– Funding for TVET must be aligned to
Labour Market Needs
Premise 2 – Labour Market Needs must be
determined by labour market studies conducted by
various stakeholders (NTA, CSO, MoLSMED)
Premise 3 – Labour Market Studies should be based
and conducted on clearly identified key sectors
earmarked for growth and development within the
economy
N A TI O N A L
TRAINING
A G E N C Y
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A QUALITY-DRIVEN education and training
system is a critical part of national workforce
development.
Skills
development
and
employment
opportunities need to be developed in
tandem in order to retain those newly
qualified, educated and trained workers
within the country.
The National Training Agency
N A TI O N A L
TRAINING
A G E N C Y
•Established out of a CARICOM (1990) Regional
Strategy on TVET
•Commenced its operations in January 1999
•Line Ministry – Ministry of Science, Technology and
Tertiary Education
•Part of a wider body of regional national training
agencies (CANTA)
Mission

To coordinate, harmonize, standardize, monitor and
evaluate all Technical and Vocational Education and
Training (TVET) in Trinidad & Tobago through the
establishment of a National TVET System
Vision

A workforce that is competent, certified, innovative,
enterprising and entrepreneurial, contributing to the
continual development of Trinidad & Tobago
N A TI O N A L
TRAINING
A G E N C Y
There are two components of NTA research:
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Demand Side
◦ Industry
◦ Employers
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Supply Side
◦ Training Providers
◦ Secondary School System
◦ University Graduates
N A TI O N A L
TRAINING
A G E N C Y
Key sectors (MoT&I)
Additional Sectors (NTA)
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Music and
 Agriculture
Entertainment/Film
now called Creative
 Energy
Industries
 Health
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Merchant Marine
 ICT
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Fish & Fish Processing
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Yachting
 Education
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Food & Beverage
 Manufacturing
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Printing & Packaging
 Tourism & Hospitality
N A TI O N A L
TRAINING
A G E N C Y
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Manufacturing Sector – Completed in 2009
Agricultural Sector – Completed in 2010
Energy Sector – Completed in 2010
Key Sectors earmarked for development – completed
in 2011
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Food and Beverage Sector
Printing and Packaging Sector
Fish and Fish Processing Sector
Aviation Sector (Needs Assessment Study)
Yachting Sector (December 2011)
Creative Industries (Preliminary LMS – December 2011)
N A TI O N A L
TRAINING
A G E N C Y
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Sectors earmarked for
Trinidad – Jan-Mar 2012
development
◦ Merchant Marine Sector
◦ Tourism and Hospitality Sector
◦ Health Sector
for
N A TI O N A L
TRAINING
A G E N C Y
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Labour Market Surveys recently completed
in Tobago:
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Light Manufacturing
Tourism and Hospitality
Education
Health
ICT
N A TI O N A L
TRAINING
A G E N C Y
Filter to TVET
Control Centre
Training
Providers
Registry
Labour Market
Signalling
Career Mapping
Labour Market Research
Sectors for focus
CVQ Certification
Sectors for focus
Occupational
Standards
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Job vacancies -
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Energy - Renewable Energy Staff / Jobs, Engineers, Civil Engineers, Process
Engineers, NDE Level 2 Technicians, Diver, I & E Mechanical and Process
Technician, Technician, Insulator, Brick Layers / Refractory Technician,
Millwright, Engineers, Diver
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Agriculture – Labourers, Machine Operators, Marketing Personnel, Field
Officer/Soil Analysts, and Agronomists
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Manufacturing- Production/Operations Workers (Factory Workers, Assistants,
Forklift Drivers and Operators), Sales Representatives/Coordinators, and
Maintenance Technicians, Bench Fitters and Welding
Food and Beverage Sector
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Job Vacancies
◦ Full time vacancies exist in the following
sub sectors:
 Meat and Processed Meat/Fish
 Bakery Products
 Non-Alcoholic Beverages
 Condiments
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Fish and Fish Processing Sector
Job Vacancies
More workers are needed for Part Time work than Full Time.
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Personnel for Retail and International Trade
Fish Harvesters
Jobs employers had difficulty sourcing labour included:
Fish Processors
Labourers
Aquaculturists
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There are three main areas of opportunity for training and employment. They
include operations, maintenance and air navigation.
The Trinidad and Tobago Civil Aviation Authority (TTCAA) evaluates, monitors
and controls all establishments under aviation including training providers.
They also provide training in this area as well as facilitates conversions to
those trained externally.
Training in this industry is very costly which inevitably excludes persons who
may be desirous of pursuing this vocation but do not have the financial
means.
However, there are opportunities for employment once persons are trained,
certified or licensed as there are shortages in the supply of skilled and
qualified persons within the industry.
This limited pool of resources has resulted in the following scenarios:
poaching within the industry and competing interests with industry and
training providers for these persons.
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Education Sector – Job vacancies
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Library Assistants
Lab Technicians
Lecturers
Librarians
Office Assistants
Managers
Coordinators
Instructors
Janitors
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Light Manufacturing Sector – Job vacancies
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Production Supervisors
General Labourers
Apprentices
Joiners
Tradesmen
Leather Craftsman
Graphic Artists
Boat Builders
Craftsmen
ICT Sector – Job vacancies
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Technicians
Web Administrators
Programmers
Systems Analysts
Technicians
Web Administrators
1. BUDGET APPROPRIATION
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Voted public funds should be used predominantly to finance
the training of the pre−employed, unemployed and part of
the financing of training for the TVET sector.
A funding mechanism and formula which bases the financing
of institutions on outputs/results and performance vis a vis
the highlighted areas of labour market needs should be
developed and adapted to the contextual realities of each
training provider.
2. LEVY−GRANT/REBATE SYSTEM
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Training levy funds based on levies imposed of the private
sector should be dedicated to the training of employed
workers.
The levy should be used for the direct transfer of skills not
for "brick and mortar" issues.
The levy should focus on the skills training and upgrading of
workers to meet the specific needs of industry.
3. DONORS
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Donor funds should be used to finance
investments. This should include investments in
infrastructure, equipment and human resources.
Private sector to play more of a direct interest
Prioritization of Areas of Funding
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The priority areas of funding should be determined through
an elaborate and consultative strategic planning process.
Funding should be based on clearly pre−determined criteria
and on outputs/results. Funding mechanisms should be
based on a performance−based competitive training market.
Information System
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The efficient and effective management of systems of the
financing of TVET should be supported by consolidating the
information system on education, training and employment.
TRINIDAD
21-22 Mulchan Seuchan Road, Chaguanas
Tel.: (868) 672-7107 / 8, 672-9942 / 3 Fax: (868) 671-3288
TOBAGO
Tobago Technology Centre
79 Milford Road, Canaan
Tel./Fax: (868) 635-0280
Website: www.ntatt.org