THE WORD PARTNERSHIP, as described in the Merriam-Webster dictionary, is a relationship resembling a legal partnership and usually involving close co-operation between parties having specified and joint rights and responsibilities.
Some other words which are captured in this definition are association, coalition, collaboration and affiliation.
These words perfectly describe the Barbados Employers’ Confederation (BEC) and Rayside Construction Limited in our partnership awarded through the Competency-Based Training Fund (CBTF) in their cycle two awards. Our partnership commenced officially on January 26, 2015 at the CBTF award ceremony. To date, we have trained 26 candidates, 14 in Management Level 2 and 12 in Occupational Safety & Health Level 2.
In recapping our initial meetings with the Rayside team, they were very receptive to the idea of competency-based education; we then saw that positive attitude transition to the candidates.
The Rayside Management Level 2 candidates having applied themselves to the training and understanding the basis of their qualification were truly stellar whilst attaining their qualification.
At the conclusion of the nine weeks of training followed by another six weeks of assessment, 13 of the candidates received full certification and one candidate received unit certification.
In the process of the partnership implementation, the administrative arm of the project unit, was required to monitor key indicators which would be used as evidence to measure the impact of the training through our award.
This proved to be unchallenging as our Management Level 2 candidates were continuously using their tools and mechanisms attained in the training. This included underpinning knowledge and skills from the management curriculum delivered by the BEC.
One such example is the small projects unit launched by Rayside Construction Limited which was successfully established after the completion of the management training.
This unit is headed by one of our successful candidates who was a part of the training. Some of the units covered in this curriculum are manage self, develop productive working relationships with your team, provide leadership for your team, ensure your own actions reduce risks to health and safety and customer service.
We at the BEC are ecstatic to have found a partner equally keen in making good employers better and improving the workforce as we hone skills and close skill gaps.
The experience has been rewarding from both ends. For the BEC, the training provider in this case, experienced, and was able to impact, successful growth, and for Rayside Construction Limited, as they would have received a remarkable level of training from the BEC and certification through the Technical and Vocational Education and Training Council.
We are awaiting full certification for our 12 Occupational Safety And Health Level 2 candidates, while the second cohort of Management Level 2 commenced on February 5, 2016 with 21 candidates.
We are pleased to announce the launch date of an open call for Management Level 2 which will be open to our members and the public. This will commence on March 8 and run on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
In conclusion, a successful partnership requires cooperative partners who are guided and determined to achieve the same result.
The BEC has implemented a successful partnership mirroring these attributes with Rayside Construction Limited.
We have cultivated a partnership built to last, which has impacted many candidates and will be inspiring to many of our prospective candidates and employers in the future.
SHANIKA BEST is a Caribbean vocational qualifications coordinator.