Managing Director of the HEART/NSTA Trust, Dr. Taneisha Ingleton, has called for a fundamental shift in how Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) is introduced across education systems in the Caribbean, warning that delayed exposure is limiting access and opportunity for the majority of learners.
Delivering the keynote address at the National Energy Skills Centre (NESC) Training Institute’s inaugural TVET Conference in Trinidad and Tobago, on Thursday (April 23), she emphasised that education participation trends highlight a narrowing pipeline as students progress through the system.
Dr. Ingleton shared that while 45 to 50 per cent of students are in primary education globally, participation drops sharply at higher levels, with 35 to 40 per cent in secondary and only a small share of 10 to 15 per cent in tertiary.
“If it is that we are starting the TVET discussion, the narrative, the infusion at the secondary level, we have already disadvantaged the largest number of the population,” she explained.
She pointed out that systemic structures have historically restricted access to skills training.
“So, when we talk about numbers, we do not even have the pool because our systems, our processes and our policies would have already created a very small pipeline from the primary level,” Dr. Ingleton said.
Given that most learners are engaged at the primary and the secondary levels, she reasoned that it is no longer sufficient to treat TVET as a post-secondary option.
“It must be integrated from the early education system to build capacity, to build relevance and to build workforce readiness,” she shared.
This early introduction, she said, would give TVET the parity of esteem it deserves and reduce misconceptions about TVET, as students would be in spaces where it is commonplace.
“What is the difference between mathematics and reading and all of the skills-based learning subjects?” she asked.
Dr. Ingleton challenged long-standing perceptions that prioritise traditional academic pathways over skills-based training.
“The framing of the traditional academic route as being superior to the skills pathway will remain a false dichotomy because we know that we need both of them in order for us to have any sort of competitive advantage,” she said.
Citing Randstad, Dr. Ingleton said the demand for skills trade is growing three times faster than professional roles.
She indicated that there has been a rapid expansion in fields such as robotics and heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) engineering, with demand increasing by 170 and 67 per cent, respectively, noting that existing systems are not producing enough skilled workers to meet these needs.
Dr. Ingleton also underscored the importance of inclusivity in TVET innovation, pointing out that women face greater risks of displacement due to automation.
“If we are going to be building resilient economies, then Caribbean nations must innovate together, leveraging shared resources and regional cooperation,” she said.
