Basseterre, St. Kitts, December 16, 2024 (SKNIS): During the 2025 Budget Address on Monday, December 16, 2024, Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, the Honourable Dr. Terrance Drew, reaffirmed the government’s commitment to advancing education and workforce training through strategic investments in digital transformation and Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET).
Speaking in the National Assembly, Prime Minister Drew outlined significant upgrades planned for the Advanced Vocational Education Centre (AVEC), with a focus on integrating cutting-edge technology into its training programmes.
“The 2025 Budget will facilitate significant upgrades at AVEC, including the integration of immersive simulators such as a welding simulator and painting simulator which utilise Virtual Reality (VR) technology to simulate real-world training experiences while promoting the efficient use of resources,” Dr. Drew announced. “This technology is designed to shorten the learning curve and enhance operators’ skills to dramatically increase productivity, decrease energy consumption by 50 percent, reduce waste of consumables, and wear on real equipment, and reduce accidents. In 2025, upgrades to AVEC will also include the outfitting of smart classrooms to enhance the teaching and learning experience.”
The prime minister emphasised that enhancing TVET is central to achieving his administration’s vision of a sustainable island state with maximised employment opportunities. Through ongoing collaboration with the TVET Secretariat and Council, the government is positioning St. Kitts and Nevis as a regional leader in certified, skilled workforce development across emerging sectors.
The prime minister also highlighted advancements in renewable energy training.
“The partnership developed with Green Solutions International provides expanded opportunities for nationals to be trained and certified in these key areas. In fact, the CFBC, in collaboration with Green Solutions International SKN Incorporated (GSI), established the Caribbean Centre of Excellence in Research, Innovation, and Workforce Training in March of this year,” Dr. Drew said.
The Centre, funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) Small Grants Programme, will offer comprehensive training in solar PV installation and electric vehicle (EV) maintenance and repair, making the Clarence Fitzroy Bryant College (CFBC) a regional hub for renewable energy workforce training and innovation.
These investments, Dr. Drew said, align with the government’s Sustainable Island State Agenda, supporting the transition to renewable energy, reducing the food import bill, and fostering economic diversification through skills development in agriculture and the creative economy.
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