In a world characterised by lifelong learning, countries everywhere are reimagining how knowledge is recognised; not just in classrooms, but in workplaces and communities. This has given rise to the development of National Qualifications Frameworks - tools designed to transform how we understand, value, and navigate education and training, taking into account the various ways people gain and demonstrate learning.
Such frameworks serve as maps, making it easier to understand how one qualification compares to another, and how people can move between different forms of learning.
With this in mind, T&T, through the collaborative efforts of the Accreditation Council of T&T (ACTT) and the National Training Agency (NTA), has established the National Qualifications Framework of T&T (NQF-TT).
At its heart, the NQF-TT is a way to bring all qualifications offered in T&T, whether professional, academic, technical, or vocational, under one structured umbrella, thus creating an alignment with the landscape of awards, qualifications and credentials. This framework creates a clear system of levels that help individuals understand where a qualification fits, what it means, and how one can move from one level to another.
Imagine a ladder. Each rung represents a level of learning, from the most basic right up to the highly advanced qualifications. The NQF-TT helps ensure that each step is clear, meaningful, and connected to the next.
This clarity will ultimately allow learners to move through their education and training journeys more easily, while simultaneously giving employers and institutions a better understanding of what someone with a particular qualification is truly capable of.
This framework is fundamentally built on clear, measurable learning outcomes, allowing every stakeholder (from industry to academia, government to community groups) to speak the same language of competence.
To this end, the framework is built on several foundational pillars:
1. Ten levels of qualifications
From foundational certificates to advanced degrees, each level represents a progression of skills, knowledge, and responsibility. This allows for smoother transitions between different types of learning.
2. Five key learning domains
Qualifications are not only about what you know, but also about what you can do and how you work with others. The NQF-TT therefore evaluates qualifications across the following five areas:
• Knowledge and understanding
• Application and practice
* Communication and ICT skills
• Autonomy, accountability and collaboration
• Life skills
3 Learning outcomes
The NQF-TT focuses on what learners can achieve at the end of each education and training pursuit, rather than just the time spent in a classroom. It is designed to recognise all learning, whether formal, informal or gained through life, and work experiences. These learning outcomes articulate exactly what a qualification represents, so that no matter where someone studied or trained, their achievements can be fairly compared, recognised, and built upon.
4. Regional and global alignment
The NQF-TT is aligned with the Caricom Qualifications Framework (CQF), allowing T&T’s qualifications to be recognised and aligned across the region, and resonate alongside international systems.
So, who benefits from the NQF-TT? The short answer? Everyone.
• Learners will have clearer guidance on how to grow their skills, earn recognised qualifications, and build a path toward lifelong learning and career advancement.
• Employers will better understand what each qualification means and can thus make more confident hiring decisions.
• Training providers will be able to design more targeted and effective programmes that meet national standards and industry needs.
• Government agencies can better plan for economic development by aligning education and training with labour market demands.
It must be stressed that the NQF-TT is not just a technical tool; it is part of T&T’s larger vision for national development. The objective is to apply the NQF-TT to strengthen the national education and training system by supporting its advancement into an even more inclusive, flexible, quality-assured and industry-aligned system. The NQF-TT supports a vision of equity and opportunity.
By recognising all forms of learning and supporting smooth transitions between qualifications, the framework opens doors for individuals of all backgrounds to build better lives—whether they are school leavers, returning adults, skilled tradespeople or professionals.
The NQF-TT does not just improve education and training, it empowers citizens, strengthens communities, and contributes to the kind of society where everyone can thrive.
The journey to implement the NQF-TT is a national one. It involves schools, training institutions, employers, government bodies - and you. Whether you are a teacher, a parent, a student or an employer, you have a role to play in helping this vision become reality.
With collaboration, commitment, and continued learning, the NQF-TT can become the bridge that connects today’s learners to tomorrow’s opportunities.