Bernadette Phillip
THE TRAINER
Ms. Bernadette Phillip is the Cosmetology instructor at New Life Organisation (NEWLO) since 2005. Prior to 2019, she had trained approximately 400 persons at NEWLO. “I welcomed the opportunity to train a group of seventeen (17) young women in September 2019 who were sponsored by SkYE -UKaid,” declares Bernadette.
Skills based training continues to have a significant impact not only on the life of the Learner but also on the country. The young women who completed this training, received both technical (cosmetology) skills and soft skills that will help them cope with life’s challenges. Bernadette notes, “Society will also benefit from this training as the trainees are now equipped with the necessary skills to gain employment or to become self-employed thus increasing income to their household and reducing unemployment and poverty.”
“I wish to commend SkYE UKaid for undertaking this initiative since so many of our young people are left behind in the academic pathway”, she says.
Bernadette believes that the field of Cosmetology has great potential in the Tri-island State because youths are the dominant population group set and both genders are beauty-conscious. She added, “There is great scope for consistent employment since that service is highly demanded but the sector needs to be regulated with specific standards”.
FROM TRAINER TO TRAINEE
Bernadette became a Learner herself, when she grabbed the opportunity to participate in the certified TQUK L3 Award in Education and Training presented by Lincoln College, UK under a SkYE capacity building initiative. “That experience was intense but enlightening. I gained so much knowledge which helped me to sharpen my existing skills and allowed me to deliver my lessons more efficiently. My entire demeanor and personal appearance also improved as a result of this training.”
Bernadette adds, “It is said that what you put in, is what you will get out: thus, I can say that I approached teaching in a very positive manner and the other trainees responded likewise”. Lincoln College’s sessions were interactive and informative which kept the learner’s engaged and eager to learn from the course leader and from each other. “It is evident that the trainees were comfortable with me as they sought my assistance and/or opinion on situations even outside of the classroom, even as I consistently maintained my professional boundaries”, Bernadette notes.
Bernadette found that her teaching experience and participating in the teacher training sessions was challenging but very rewarding. “I wish to thank SkYE and NEWLO for the opportunity to deliver and grow throughout this period”, she says.
FACTS
The 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.
