As Government prepares to unveil its 2011/2012 budget, Minister of Science, Technology and Tertiary Education Fazal Karim has announced that a new science centre will be built in central Trinidad while a feasibility study will also begin for a domestic airport.He also said in addition to continuing Government Approved Funding for Tertiatry Education (GATE), his ministry also planned to expand it to facilitate technical vocational subjects.Speaking at the launch of the Energy Chamber of T&T's learning centre at Atlantic Plaza, Point Lisas, yesterday, Karim said:
"Government is pursuing cluster development in central Trinidad that will support the Point Lisas Industrial Estate and include training resources in a range of technical and vocational areas.
"A new national science centre, a first of its kind, not only in Trinidad and Tobago but in the Caribbean as well, also will be located close to this estate," he said.
He explained that it was important to match skills and education with the job market, particularly in the energy sector.
Saying that petroleum accounted for more than 40 per cent of T&T's Gross Domestic Product (GDP), Karim lamented that technical expertise was still in short supply.
He said: "Such deficiencies in skill requirements cannot be ignored as we seek to create new industries with similar workforce needs.
"Not only do we need competent workers, we also need highly-trained and certified staff," Karim said.
He added that experienced technicians-both electrical and mechanical-geologists, divers, riggers, emergency responders and even corporate level staff were in high demand but in low supply.Karim said a main reason cited for such a supply was a lack of the practical skills required and the attitudes and aptitudes required to perform such duties.Praising the chamber for its foresight, Karim said the learning centre, which offered computer-based training and assessment, specialised in the health and safety sector, will complement the work of his ministry.He also announced that his ministry soon would move towards a licensing regime for various classes of workers (identified by industry) and would also work with various sectors in developing a single-passport system for all skills-training and certification within the next three years.He added: "The ministry also has started this process of certifying skilled but uncertified workers at several Workforce Assessment Centres, two of which are located in Pt Lisas. "I urge you, the member companies, to have your workers certified at these centres or have the assessors come to your worksite, as we seek to offer credit to such workers for future job growth and re-entry in the education and training system."Karim also said the students who participate in technical vocational training also would get approved funding under the GATE programme.