Eastern Caribbean Institute of Tourism Assessors get CVQ Training

Grenada hosts 5-day Workshop in CBET/CVQ Assessment

Wednesday, March 14, 2018 — Plans for the operationalisation of the Eastern Caribbean Institute of Tourism (ECIT) as the premier blended learning institution for tourism and hospitality training and education in the region, continue to gather momentum.

The OECS Commission is hosting a workshop in Grenada from March 12 – 16, 2018. The workshop, being held at the Rex Grenadian, is being conducted by the Grenada National Training Agency and will provide training to Member States in Competency Based Education and Training (CBET) and the Caribbean Vocational Qualification (CVQ) for Assessors. This follows a similar Workshop for Instructors held in Antigua from March 5 – 9, as part of capacity building of Member States in Curriculum Development, Instruction, Assessment and Accreditation for ECIT.

The CBET/CVQ Workshop will be attended by two representatives from each Member State (Anguilla, Antigua & Barbuda, British Virgin Islands, Dominica, Grenada, Montserrat, St. Kitts & Nevis, Saint Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines). The OECS Commission is being represented by the 10^th EDF Project Officer and Administrative Officer, as well as its Tourism Officer, Mrs. Maria Fowell.

"A key objective of the Grenada Workshop is to build a cadre of regionally qualified individuals who will be skilled to develop and offer the CBET/CVQ Curriculum approach, as required at ECIT Partner Institutions across the region."

"On completion of the workshops, it is expected that the capacity of at least 17 OECS officials in CBET/CVQ Assessment would have been strengthened." noted Mrs. Fowell.

The workshops will draw on regional and international best practice. Critical areas to be covered include the Regional Qualifications Framework; the Regional TVET Strategy; introduction to and characteristics of Competency-Based Education and Training (CBET), principles of CBET; assessment in CBET; introduction to and interpretation of occupational standards; procedures for planning, conducting and reviewing assessment; developing assessment tools; instruments for conducting assessment; and quality assurance issues in assessment. The Training of Assessors will focus on CVQ Level 4.

The Eastern Caribbean Institute of Tourism (ECIT) comprises Centres of Excellence in nine (9) OECS Member States, each offering an area of specialisation in tourism and hospitality training and education. ECIT was established with grant funding from the European Union to the tune of 4 million euros, as part of the 10^th EDF Economic Integration and Trade of the OECS Region project. The primary purpose of ECIT is to harmonize and enhance the Tourism and Hospitality Sector in the OECS through continued improvements in human resource development and knowledge management, to support the OECS Economic Union as a single financial and economic space.