The Samuel Jackman Prescod Polytechnic (SJPP), established in 1969, is the primary educational institution in Barbados offering hands-on technical education and tuition is free to all Barbadians.
The government-financed school, located on 11 acres at Wildey, St. Michael, offers part-time and full-time courses in a wide range of technical subjects, geared to fitting its students to the world of industry and business.
Samuel Jackman Prescod Polytechnic (SJPP) On-campus courses range from:
— Agriculture
— Automotive
— Welding
— Building
— Electrical engineering
— Mechanical engineering
There are short-term courses – like the four-month computer maintenance programme – and more extended options like the one-year electrical installation wiring, the two-year plumbing course or the three-year plan in motor vehicle engineering.
The SJPP works in collaboration with the Barbados Technical and Vocation Education and Training Council (TVET) to provide workers with the necessary training to meet the demands of a changing work environment.
Flexible schedules, including day release and evening courses, are used in these to upgrade existing workers to use new technology or to train and certify workers without previous formal training.
“We believe that lifelong learning and the provision of a labour force that is trained in technical and human skills is vital to the success of our economies,” the institution declares in its literature.
When student intake started to outstrip the ability of the campus to handle the annual crush of applicants physically, the SJPP turned to on-line training, teaming up with Colorado-based Pearson e-College in the United States.
Today the SJPP offers Internet-based training in such areas as:
— Child Care and Nursery Management
— Small Business Management
— Occupational Health
— Safety and Welfare
— Care of the Older Adult
Students leave with a variety of certificates or diplomas in the following primary areas of study.
