MIC-IT celebrates 50 years of shaping futures in tech/voc education

Minister in the Education Ministry Lisa Morris-Julian said MIC-IT’s celebration of 50 years in existence is not just a milestone but a testimony to the power of vision, hard work and unwavering commitment to the prosperity of TT’s people, country and future.

She was speaking at MIC-IT's 50th anniversary celebration and long-service award ceremony on December 10 at the Centre of Excellence, Macoya. A total of 260 people were honoured, including 61 retirees and 199 people for 15-33 years of service to the company.

“MIC has stood strong for 50 years, much like a mighty tree deeply rooted in the soil of progress, its branches reaching ever higher to shape futures and transform lives. A symbol of resilience and growth, it has weathered challenges, nurtured talent, and provided shade for countless dreams to flourish.”

She then read a speech on behalf of Education Minister Nyan Gadsby-Dolly, who congratulated the institution on its longevity.

“MIC-IT has held its own as a unique enterprise, operating as both a commercial factory and training institution both here and regionally. MIC-IT continues to bear great fruit in shaping a skilled workforce, producing artisans, technicians, and innovators who continue to contribute significantly to every sector of our economy.”

Gadsby-Dolly said MIC-IT had made exceptional inroads since its founding in 1974 as the Metal Industries Company.

“Fifty years chronicles the persistence, vision, and impact that continues to stand with the institution. As I reflect on this, your motto, Training for Industry, is most appropriate. In a world characterised by constant change and shifting dynamics, MIC-IT’s journey serves as a cogent reminder that our strategies and solutions must remain robust and adaptable to meet the demands of evolving workspaces.”

Gadsby-Dolly said the ministry understood that education was the link between a country’s present and its ability to enjoy a sustainable future.

“Achieving the level of development we aspire to as a nation requires the deliberate creation of opportunities through the diversification of resources, the expansion of subject offerings, comprehensive skills training, and the establishment of forward-thinking institutions like MIC-IT.

She said government’s commitment to diversification through enterprise development and skills training extends to the primary school level. She said through its national education policy, the ministry is committed to strengthening collaboration between secondary and post-secondary technical and vocational education and training (TVET) institutions, fostering a seamless transition from Caribbean Vocational Qualification (CVQ) and Caribbean Secondary Examination Certificate (CSEC) TVET subjects at the secondary level to advanced post-secondary training opportunities.

Gadsby-Dolly said the Technical Vocational Instructor Teacher Training (TVITT) Diploma Programme was an initiative aimed at expanding the pool of highly skilled and qualified educators in TVET. She said this programme equips instructors with the necessary pedagogical expertise and technical proficiency to deliver high-quality education across a range of vocational disciplines.

“As we celebrate this golden anniversary, let us reflect on the thousands of lives transformed by MIC-IT year after year. Every graduate who passed through its doors carried with them not only technical expertise but also hope and ambition for a bigger and brighter future.”

Chairman Prof Emeritus Clement Imbert said MIC-IT began as a tool and die manufacturing enterprise as Prof Kenneth Julien saw the need for a manufacturing enterprise to makes dies and tools and other parts which are important for manufacturing.

He said the institution was started with the assistance of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and UNIDO (UN Industrial Development Organization, who provided MIC-IT with experts to train their machinists until it was able to take over the training.

Imbert said in 1984, Julien and PM Patrick Manning were invited to Germany to see their outstanding TVET system, which led to the formation of the NSDP Journeyman Diploma in partnership with the German Chamber of Crafts and Trades, Fitz Werner GmbH and the ICON-INSTITUT of Aachen, Germany. He said the journeyman and master craftsman programmes are certified on a yearly basis by the German Chamber of Crafts and Trade.

He said MIC-IT morphed into a training programme as while tools and dies could be purchased abroad cheaply, they still need to be repaired locally.

He said the government also asked the institution to take over the Helping You Prepare for Employment (HYPE) programme, the Multi-Sector Skills Training (MuST) Programme, industrial craft programmes, and engineering graduate programmes among others. He said they also collaborated with the Trade and Industry and Youth Development and National Service Ministries and bpTT to offer other training programmes.

“In addition, to move with the times and taking climate change into account, last year in Point-a-Pierre we opened a Centre for Renewable Energy and Associated Technologies. We are also training 20 journeymen in photovoltaic technologies.”

Imbert said over 30,000 people had graduated from MIC-IT programmes since its inception and he was proud to know that they and their families had been touched by the institution.