Minister of Education, Dr. Ingrid Buffonge has addressed the island’s persistent skills gap, saying that the ministry is prioritising the integration of technical and vocational training from primary school through to college level.
“We recognise that it’s a huge challenge both for the workforce and for getting students into tertiary technical education,” she said in the July Legislative session. “This is an urgent policy priority for the Ministry of Education.”
The planned curriculum will cover areas such as:
- Mechanics
- Carpentry
- Electrical work
- Plumbing
- Hospitality
- Customer service
These programmes will be supported by structured private sector partnerships to ensure alignment with real-world industry needs. The goal, said the minister, is to ensure Montserratian students are “definitely fit for the local market.”
As part of this year’s summer programme, students were given the opportunity to work on active construction and plumbing sites, helping them explore career interests through hands-on experience.
“We want our students to gain experience and make decisions about whether or not they have a passion for particular technical subjects,” said Minister Buffonge.
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