By KEILE CAMPBELL

Tribune Staff Reporter

kcampbell@tribunemedia.net

PRIME Minister Philip “Brave” Davis yesterday announced plans for a new Bahamas Technical and Vocational Institute (BTVI) campus, describing it as part of a national strategy to ensure Bahamians are trained and ready for jobs in rapidly expanding industries.

Mr Davis said the government has allocated land for the project, calling the move a “down payment in fairness” to address long-standing gaps between workforce skills and available employment.

“The government has planted land for a new BTVI campus. This decision is about equipping Bahamians with the skills they need to succeed right now in industries that are booming, from electricians and air conditioning technicians to welders and masons,” he said during remarks at Fort Fincastle.

He said the initiative would expand apprenticeship programmes nationwide, with young people being paid to learn trades while training is tailored to the labour market’s demands.

Although no timeline was given for construction, The Tribune understands the new campus is expected to be located near Government High School and the Thomas A Robinson Stadium, where land clearing has already begun.

Mr Davis said the government was also directing the Department of Labour and the Department of Immigration to ensure jobs created in The Bahamas are filled by Bahamians whenever qualified candidates are available. A national skills database is also being developed to track talent and training needs.

He further noted that companies benefiting from government concessions or contracts would be required to provide “meaningful employment opportunities” for Bahamians.

“The old excuses will not cut it anymore. Saying there are not enough trained workers is not a justification, it is an indictment of the system. So we are fixing that system,” Mr Davis said.

“These initiatives are about more than GDP growth. They are about empowerment, about dignity in work, and about making sure Bahamians are not left behind.”

The prime minister said the BTVI expansion, along with apprenticeship programmes, would help prepare workers for careers in construction, renewable energy, and digital services, forming part of what he described as the foundation of a modern Bahamian economy.

“We are not where we want to be yet, but we are no longer where we were,” he said. “This is what progress looks like when it is done right, not just foreign investments but local empowerment.”