THE New Amsterdam Technical Institute (NATI), of Garrison Road, Fort Ordinance, East Berbice, recently held a collaborative Career Fair and Open Day under the theme ‘Transforming the classroom for the 21st century’ in a bid to highlight its training programmes.

In his feature address, Deputy Regional Executive Officer Mr. Imran Ally told his audience that learners must master more than the core curriculum to succeed in the secondary and tertiary institutions and in the workplace.

‘The Partnership for 21st Century Skills’, a national organisation advocating 21st century readiness for every student, explained the outcome of this transformation as a fusing of the traditional three Rs, namely ‘reading’, ’riting’, and ‘ritmathetic’, with the four Cs: critical thinking, creativity, communication, and collaboration’; and Mr Ally said it has been discovered that as students develop the four Cs, effective application of the vital technological skills requires the acquisition of technology, which must be placed into the hands of students.

Encouraging the paradigm shift in roles, Ally said that educators and policy-makers, having realised that their students are capable and independent technology users who can create inspiring digital masterpieces, often question solemnly how they can fit it all in.
However, he stressed, a new mindset of teaching through technology must emerge, one which depends on a vital shift in the teacher/student roles.

And Regional Chairman Mr. David Armogan, speaking in the capacity of Chairman of the NATI Board, noted that the programmes need to be adapted to changing times.

“NATI, as a dynamic institution, needs to look to see where areas are open for training to fill the needs of industry. Technical and vocational training is pushed in a big way, even as our country has recorded a progressive growth rate economically over the past six years,” he said.

“Agro-based industries are on the rise, and as such we have to be able to design suitable programmes to fulfil those needs…. While some are rooted in traditional areas, such as commercial, plumbing, electrical; these days, we have to think outside the box…

“Look at what is likely to come in the near future. Guyana does not have a school of skilled labour; we have to be able to train young people to become a cadre of human resources that employers can utilise,” Armogan said.

NATI Principal [ag] Maxine Thompson, in brief opening remarks, noted that the technical/vocational education and training [TVET] programme which is pursued by the student body was once looked upon as a programme for school drop-outs, low achievers, and those who are good with their hands; but TVET has taken on a stronger image, over the years, in view of the fact that in our developing world there is dire need for growth in industries.

“People must now be equipped with the necessary skills to manage such industries. The changing face of TVET now requires its pursuant to have a strong background in Mathematics, Science and English Language,” she posited.

During the institution’s annual Open Day, prospective entrants and their parents get the opportunity to interact with lecturers in an effort to discover which programme might best suit the entrant. Analisa Cummings told this publication that, after listening to the speakers, she is now questioning whether it was a right decision for her to ‘drop out’ of secondary school.

“I had several challenges. My mother was incapable of keeping me and my other siblings in school; so, not having the adequate finances to assist in school-based assessments (SBA), I dropped out. But now (that) I am hearing about the need of having a strong background in Maths (and) English, along with Science and Technology, I wonder……” she trailed off.

However, encouraged to fill an application form prior to writing the aptitude test, the 17-year-old readily submitted the document with the relevant fee, and is hoping that life would give her a second chance.

Her story is not an isolated case, as many prospective entrants who spoke to this reporter recounted the many challenges of life which they faced in their predominantly single-parent homes. The New Amsterdam Technical Institute, in their opinion, is an institution for those who choose to work with their hands in order to make worthy careers from skills acquired.

Apart from familiarising themselves with the programmes, visitors were afforded the opportunity to visit various booths, including that of the National Insurance Scheme (NIS), where they were informed of the roles and benefits of the compulsory contributory scheme.

The Guyana Power and Light (GPL) was able to educate its viewers — including students and teachers from several secondary schools in the Berbice townships — on the prepaid meter, the network rehab project, and how to avoid disconnection; while visitors to the Guyana Forestry Commission (GFC) booth were given application forms for entry into the National Training Project for Youth Empowerment (NTPYE) programmes and the Guyana School of Agriculture.

There was, meanwhile, tremendous interest in the booth manned by the Brick Layers, (a non-governmental organisation which addresses sexually-transmitted diseases and other related issues) as scores of visitors to the booth were reminded of the need to have a healthy lifestyle. Condoms were freely distributed after a brief demonstration on how they must be fitted.

Other organisations on display were the Guyana Fire Service (GFS); The Guyana Police Force (GPF); and the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport, which highlighted its youth entrepreneurial skills training (YEST) programmes.

The New Amsterdam Technical Institute offers full time and evening courses. Applicants must be at least fifteen years old on the prospective year of entry to be eligible to attend full time courses, and eighteen years old by the said date to attend evening courses.

For Level I training, applicants must have successfully completed the Secondary Competency Certificate Programme or have attained a sound secondary education (completion of Fourth form).

For all the other courses, including Architectural Drawing, the Ordinary Diploma in Commerce, and Agricultural Machinery, applicants must possess at least four subjects CXC Grades One to Three. Application forms are now available from Monday to Friday during business hours, and a processing fee of $300 applies.

(By Jeune Bailey Vankeric)