MEET CAMILLE CRICHTON
“It is a great feeling to see people grow and improve their skills.” says Camille H. Crichton, Managing Director, Professional Secretarial & Consultancy Services (PSCS) Inc; and Director, Institute of Professional Development (IPD). IPD is a UKaid funded Training Provider which offers training in Office Administration.
Camille is a resident of the suburban community of Arnos Vale in St. Vincent and the Grenadines. She has two daughters and two grandchildren. As well as managing the organisation, she works as a trainer in the SkYE Programme. After being apprised of the SkYE programme by the SVG Country Coordinator, she grasped the opportunity to become involved based on a philosophical notion which she holds dearly, noting, “As someone who cares about the success of people and businesses, I recognised that there was a dire need for trained employees to apply specific knowledge and skills to improve performance in the workplace.”
THE INSTITUTE OF PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT (IPD)
IPD was established in January 1992. Camille explained that the main objective of PSI is to educate young women from the lower economic strata of society. “These young women usually fall into the category of secondary school dropouts, teenage mothers, and some with behavioural challenges”. In recognising the challenges faced in the business skills training sector before partnering with SkYE, Camille noted, “The training programmes we offered were not certified, and persons were unable to attend training due to financial constraints.”
SkYE has provided the opportunity for IPD to reorientate to offering C/NVQ certificated training under the auspices of the Sector Skills Development Agency in SVG, and to attract disadvantaged young people in to training. She also emphasises that as a Trainer, it afforded her the opportunity to instruct using the competence-based approach to training and assessment. “The methods of training used are wider and include more practice, demonstration, and research. These have brought a new dimension to training for trainees and trainers.” She further stated that being involved with SkYE has changed the modus operandi of PSI as it relates to persons with disabilities. Camille is of the view that the skills, knowledge, and qualifications acquired by trainees will enhance their ability to obtain and retain a job.
HOPE FOR THE FUTURE
In explaining the benefits of SkYE working with the private sector, she emphasised “The quality of training and the related grant funding encourages smaller businesses and individuals to engage in these trainings, so now no one is left behind.” She highlighted the fact that before, only large companies could have afforded training as most trainers were from outside of SVG, “With the financial assistance offered by SkYE it gives disadvantaged trainees an opportunity to become marketable which in turn gives the private sector a wider database from which to select skilled people.”
Camille underscored the future aspirations for her establishment, “We aim to continue to produce graduates from the public and private sector with outstanding technological and management skills, who possess high moral values, to meet the future demands of the labour market.” Having made the step-change to Competency Based Education and Training (CBET) with SkYE, her vision at IPD is to be the premier contributor of internationally recognized tertiary education and training in the region.
FACTS
Skills for Youth Employment (SkYE) is a four-year, UKaid funded programme to provide certified skills training for 6,000 disadvantaged young people, including those challenged by disability, in four Eastern Caribbean countries: Dominica, Grenada, St Lucia and St Vincent & the Grenadines. The Programme will develop a more productive and inclusive workforce in sectors with good economic growth potential.
SkYE is supporting national training authorities and training providers to make systemic improvements to the development, delivery and quality assurance of technical, vocational education and training (TVET) in the four focus islands through targeted capacity building.
