CAY HILL, Sint Maarten – The National Institute for Professional Advancement (NIPA) has partnered with Trinidad-based MIC Institute of Technology (MIC-IT), initially under a one-year contract slated to end December 2019, to offer various courses to the community of St. Maarten. An agency of the Trinidad Ministry of Education, MIC-IT offers courses in Technical and Vocational Training; Industry Services; and Construction Services.
MIC-IT, accredited in 2014 by the Accreditation Council of Trinidad and Tobago (ACTT), has collaborated with NIPA to provide free technical vocational courses in carpentry, plumbing, electrical, masonry and property maintenance that allow students to graduate with fitting credentials.
The training program, funded by the World Bank, has been successful in not only producing graduating classes, but the overwhelming response within the community since its inception has called for an extension of this project that increasingly continues to spark interests islandwide.
On Wednesday, September 4, a meeting was held at NIPA Headquarters to officially announce the extension of the existing contract with MIC-IT, now set to end December 2020. Drs. Peggy-Ann Dros, Chairlady of Advanced Vocational Education (AVE) Board of Directors, defined this extension as a continuation of the existing partnership and the courses being offered, referring to it as the way to “fledge out more opportunities for business owners who require employee training, as well as … for revamping the core NIPA programs.”
In attendance was Mr. Sergio Blomont, General Director of NIPA, along with other members of the NIPA Management and Support Team. Representing MIC-IT were CEO Mr. Anil Ramnarine; Professor Clement Imbert, Chairman of the Board; Mr. Nathan Langaigne, General Manager of Training Division; Mr. Deshaun David, Project Manager; and visiting Instructors of MIC-IT.
Also present were Dros, and Vice-Chair Mrs. Annuska Friday-Illis, representing the AVE Board of Directors.
The monumental event was streamed live via the NIPA Facebook page.
