Trinidad and Tobago

Programs in Trinidad and Tobago have the primary objective of preparing persons for the world of work and focus on areas such as employability, worthy citizenship, national identity and leadership. These training programs are administered at a state, community and NGO level.

The state system offers courses based on the indication of labor market demand and cover occupational areas such as agriculture, applied arts, auto maintenance and repair, craft and electricity. In view of marginal growth in the industrial sector over the past decade, government programs are trying to place more emphasis on training for self employment and entrepreneurship. Two agencies which operate as limited companies demonstrate and focus their programs to assist the general state effort.

The first program is the Youth Training and Employment Partnership Program (YTEPP). The main objective is to expose young people between the ages of 15 to 25 years to marketable skills and make them self-employable. The program is delivered in 3 components: I)Vocational Skills training ii)Career enhancement and iii) Entrepreneurial Development and Support Services (EDSS).

YTEPP accounts for about 8,000 trainees annually on average, approximately 75% of all technical/vocational trainees, but only 11% of the nation's unemployed young population (ages 15-25). The EDSS component, trains almost 1,000 of the 8,000 trainees in two 4 month courses annually in some sixty classes throughout the country.

The curriculum is designed to I) assist trainees to discover skills and venture into entrepreneurial projects for income generation; ii) build self-confidence as a micro entrepreneur; and iii) equip student with skills for managing business enterprise more successfully. Trainees accordingly learn how to generate business ideas, validate these by developing a business plan and conducting market research. Finally, trainees learn to start a business and negotiate with financiers, customers and other persons.

Training is complemented by a post training Support Service component which assists the graduate in establishing and running a business project and includes financial and technical assistance aimed at improving the product or service. Problems encountered by this program include but are not limited to the following: I) High attrition; ii) Lack of labor market information system (should be installed to help guide trainees about the existence of markets and viable projects); and iii) a lack of business incubators.

The Small Business Development Company (SBDC) runs a loan guarantee scheme in conjunction with the local banking sector, credit unions and other non-banking financial institutions and provides business information, training and counseling through a variety of programs. In 1990 it was given the responsibility of undertaking and coordinating the Youth Enterprise and Support Services (YESS) as a national vehicle for further promotion and development of entrepreneurship among youths 18-30 years. The program was suspended in 1991 due to lack of funds but the SBDC, again directed by the Government, is in the process of reviving this intervention which will provide youths who are graduates from the technical/vocational system with business plan development, business loans and business start-up and expansion assistance.

Trinidad and Tobago also has national industry/workplace based training systems which include the Board of Industrial Training (BIT), On-the-Job Training programs (OJT) and apprenticeship programs.

In addition, some NGO's are involved in the training process. For instance SERVOL, a church based institution offers technical and vocational training and provides funding and entrepreneurial development training under its FUNDAID program. Another NGO is the Morvant/Laventille Improvement Organization (MLIO) Christ College, Princes Town and St. Bede's Vocational are also listed as noteworthy interventions in technical training.