The conference on vocational education at Milton Peters College (MPC) reported on in Friday’s paper hit the nail on the head. While there is an understandable preference for academic learning worldwide, skilled workmen and -women are also very much in demand.
Particularly in tourist destinations many jobs tend to be rather hands-on in nature. It’s been said before; one can’t expect everyone to sit in an office, because that’s not where most of the needs of visitors who drive the local economy are generally best addressed.
The example of refrigeration technicians was a good one. Maintenance at the island’s many resorts is an important source of employment that must not be overlooked.
The same lack of practical training is being felt by Aruba and Curaçao, but also in the Netherlands. Giving more attention to this aspect especially at PSVE schools was one of the goals mentioned.
MPC and Sundial School have started a pilot Trades School Project to do just that and at the same time prevent PSVE students dropping out due to academic reasons. This way they can suffice with some theoretical content related to the job for which they are being prepared and still continue at SBO level 1 or 2.
Every child should go to college, it is sometimes said, but that’s not necessarily always the case. Some may acquire mainly the skills required to make an honest living and there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that.
