BY DENISE MAYCOCK

Tribune Freeport Reporter

dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

Deputy Prime Minister Peter Turnquest believes hundreds of jobs Bahamians can perform with required training are being unfilled in the industrial sector in Grand Bahama, particularly in the maritime industry.

"I am not knocking anybody, I appreciate the support and the opportunities, but we can do more," said the MP for East Grand Bahama, who noted that some 400 foreign workers are being imported every other month to Freeport.

Mr Turnquest's comments came while delivering the keynote address during Technical Education Awareness Week hosted by the Technical Education Centre (TEC) in Hawksbill.

He said: "The maritime industry is completely under-explored by Bahamians, and yet the industry has enormous growth potential. Greater participation of Bahamians in the workforce in this area is unevenly low and this results in high level of foreign participation."

"We need to seize the opportunity in these growth areas and saturate the market with Bahamian talent, ingenuity,and expertise."

He indicated institutions like TEC are needed to help prepare Bahamians to take advantage of these opportunities in the workforce.

However, the minister believes technical institutions should not be too dependent on industry to tell them what skills they need.

"I will say that one of the things we have been doing well as a government is collaborating with the industry here to determine the skills necessary and trying to create programmes to meet those skills that industry is telling us.

"I don't know who is here from industry and I don't mean to offend anybody. But one of the things about that is that there is a danger in relying too much on industry to tell you what skills they need.

"You see because they will tell you what they want you to produce in the quantities they want you to produce. Meanwhile, we are bringing in hundreds on the other side. And so, they are meeting their commitment to the government and the community by providing training and support for this growth. And with this number, they can check the box, but on the other side there are hundreds of jobs Bahamians can do with the requisite training that are being unfulfilled."

"So, I want to say to TEC to think out the box, to listen, but also to observe to ensure we are fulfilling not only to identify jobs but those we see and notice that exists."

Minister Turnquest noted that while the Department of Labour has been having success with the series of Labour on the Blocks events identifying and matching employers and employees, at a certain point they will run into a roadblock because the skills that are being demanded will not be available.

"And so, if you were to focus on that 400 that come in every other month, we can make a tremendous dent in the number of imports, as well as help fulfil your mandate to educate, train and help build our community," he stated.

The Minister believes technical training by institutions like TEC that offer a Pre-Technology programme and certification help to fill critical gaps by raising the general technical skills level and quality standards of the GB workforce.

He noted the heavy equipment operator career path offered by TEC is a significant certification programme, especially concerning occupational health and safety.

Mr Turnquest explained that in the US people could not operate a forklift unless they have certification.

"We need to ensure we have those kinds of requirement here - they call it OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration). You cannot get on a piece of equipment around people unless you have certification," he said.

"What we need to do here is to ensure that not only we get quality work, but we protect the safety of those who work, as well as those in the immediate environment of those who are working."

The minister explained that "in order as a government to be able to mandate something like that, we need training and we need those certification programs."

Mr Turnquest commended TEC founder Fred Delancy, former executive director of BTVI in Freeport, for the role TEC is playing in training Bahamians.

TEC is located at the old the Hawksbill High School campus. It offers three programmes, including Pre-Technology, Technology Industry Certification and Technology Prep for Juniors and Seniors.

Minister Turnquest, who is a graduate of the Hawksbill High, said technical education is important to him and recalled how Hawksbill High was first to introduce technical and vocational training in Grand Bahama.

"This is a place that holds fond memories for me - some of my formative traits and character were developed here on this ground, he recalled. Hawksbill was a breeding ground for a lot of the success we see today, particularly in the technical field.

"Technical education is very important to me because not only was I expose to it here, but my father was involved in the administration of technical and vocation education from the beginning," he said, pledging to provide a scholarship for a student in East End to attend Tech Prep program on Saturdays.

According to Mr Delancey, more than 1,200 students have completed the Pre-Technology programme at TEC over the years.

He noted TEC is in the process of introducing a Renewable Energy programme, and is now looking to accommodate students from New Providence and the Family Islands.

Mr Delancey stated that they were granted permission by a building owner to use his building as a dormitory for those students.

He also noted their six-week Tech Prep programme for high school juniors and seniors on Saturdays has been very encouraging, with some students traveling from as far as Eight Mile Rock in the West and East End to attend.

Minister Turnquest, he said, provides transportation every Saturday morning for the students from East End.

Mr Delancey said TEC is considered the leading provider of industrial technical programs that meet specific needs of the industries in Grand Bahama.

He stated 67 TEC students were trained as internationally certified welders and are employed at BORCO.

He also noted the 200 people trained at TEC for the container port training programme in welding and engineering are doing well.

Mr Delancey stressed more money needs to be invested in technical education to prepared Bahamians for future.