GUARANTEED JOBS FOR FIRST 250 STUDENTS

IN ORDER for our society to  produce as first world nations, what we teach must be related to the requirements of the workplace.

This was expressed yesterday by Science Technology and Tertiary Education Minister Danny Montano at the launching of the $2 million Petrotrin Trinmar Marine Operational Skills Facility in Point Fortin. The first 250 students at the school would be guaranteed employment at Trinmar. Addressing the gathering the minister said, “We need to raise the standard of education to the height of international standards, what we teach must be relevant to the needs of the job market.” Because of this deficiency Montano said that we lack the skill base to meet global competition. Montano expressed the importance of creating a cadre of educated employees who can create their own  business in the community which by  extension would prevent the skilled from migrating. He added, “no government can sustain job creation if jobs can’t  sustain themselves.”

In making the statement he reminded the gathering that the government has not forgotten Point Fortin, an area known to have one of the highest unemployment levels in the country, despite its industrial base. He said a challenge faced by his ministry is defining the present needs of our market economy and forecast what it  would be like in the future. Mayor St Clair Natta, speaking on behalf of the absent area MP Larry Achong, said that the initiative was a small but vital contribution to making TT first world in one  generation.” He said that further development relied on co-operation among communities, corporate sectors and training agencies. In his turn at the podium, Malcolm Jones executive chairman of Petrotrin, said the new institution through education and training would allow added efficiency in the offshore explorations. As a result he added that the industry would remain  “on the cutting edge.” He congratulated Trinmar on its drilling of the first multi-lateral well and 830 oil wells. Trevor Boopsingh, chairman of College of Science, Technology and Applied Arts of Trinidad and Tobago (COST AATT) said that in our education system the technical training must be emphasised as it a crucial element of our expansion.