A partnership between Niagara College’s Global Institute for Education and Training and the Government of Grenada is supporting the establishment of four Centres of Excellence (CoEs) designed to strengthen technical and vocational education and training (TVET) in the Caribbean country.
The collaboration, which also includes Nova Scotia Community College and Dalhousie University Faculty of Agriculture, supports the implementation of the Youth Transformational Skills Programme (YTSP) — a flagship initiative aimed at modernizing TVET, reducing unemployment among youth aged 14 and over, and driving inclusive economic growth.
The CoEs will focus on sectors critical Grenada’s economic development, including Agriculture, Furniture Making, Marine & Fisheries, and Tourism & Hospitality.
First Centre of Excellence set to launch in January 2027
From July 13 to 17, Project Implementation Consultancy Team (PICT) representatives delivered Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) and Instructor Onboarding workshops as part of the YTSP in Grenada. The sessions helped strengthen institutional readiness and prepare partners for the launch of the Agriculture Centre of Excellence in January 2027, the first of the CoEs to be established.
Bringing extensive experience in TVET development across the Caribbean, the PICT team included Oleksandra Gora, NC’s Global Education Projects, Project Manager; Joyce Bott, NC’s Curriculum Design Expert; Paul Manning, Dalhousie University Faculty of Agriculture, Integrated Pest Management Expert; and Cush Lewis, Monitoring & Evaluation Expert.
The workshops brought together representatives from Government of Grenada agencies, Grenada’s Skills Development Unit (SDU) within the Ministry of Education, and Agriculture instructors.
The sessions focused on strengthening collaboration and building institutional capacity. The PICT provided expertise in areas including curriculum development, instructor training, operational planning, stakeholder engagement, procurement strategies and monitoring and evaluation. The team is also supporting the development of implementation roadmaps and strategies to ensure the CoEs meet the needs of learners, employers, and communities.
“Understanding the difference between competency-based learning and traditional teaching approaches was one of the most valuable takeaways from this training,” said Anichell Thomas-Marcell, participant in the Agriculture Centre of Excellence Instructor Onboarding. “It encouraged us to reflect on how different learning frameworks and teaching approaches can support the diverse needs of learners, creating stronger learning experiences for our students.”
The YTSP supports Grenada’s National TVET Policy and Strategy for Enhancement (2023) and contributes to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals 4 (Quality Education) and 9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure).
Through initiatives like YTSP, Niagara College continues to build international partnerships that connect expertise, innovation and shared learning to address evolving workforce needs around the world.
