City & Guilds CEO Concludes Successful Tour of the Caribbean

l to r – Chris Dawe Director International Operations, Acting PM of Barbados The Hon Richard Sealy,Guy Hewitt, Caribbean Manager, Chris Jones, DG and Group CEO

ZIZ News…June 26, 2012 — Chris Jones, City & Guilds’ Director General and Group CEO concluded a brief visit to the Caribbean which included visits to Jamaica and Barbados.

While in the Region, Mr Jones had meetings with a number of senior officials including Jamaican Minister of Education, Rev. the Hon. Ronald Thwaites JP MP, Barbados’ Minister of Industry, Small Business and Rural, The Hon. Denis Kellman, MP, and Barbados’ Acting Prime Minister, the Hon Richard Sealy, MP. Meetings were also held with the British High Commission in both countries.

In Jamaica, during a reception held in his honour at the Terra Nova Hotel on Wednesday 20 June, Mr Jones stated that City & Guilds is “committed to making our extensive portfolio and over 130 years of knowledge and experience available to the Government, training institutions and learners of Jamaica and the Caribbean.” He clarified for those who may wonder how City & Guilds could sound so altruistic, “the answer is simple. City & Guilds is a charity with a single purpose which is to enable people and organisations to develop their skills for personal and economic growth.”

Mr Jones suggested that globally, “we are at a critical moment for learning. In a period of prolonged global economic uncertainty, the traditional routes to learning, employment and career progression are being challenged. Whereas in the past, terms like “technical”, “vocational” and “applied” were perceived as lesser offerings, learners are realising that technical and vocation education connects ‘knowing’ and ‘doing’. Similarly, employers are also becoming more aware of this and increasingly seeking workers who have both knowledge and skills.”

At the reception, the Education Minister Reverend Ronald Thwaites commended City and Guilds for elevating technical and vocational studies in Jamaica and certifying Jamaicans for the benefit of the country and the export market. City & Guilds Caribbean Manager Guy Hewitt also clarified that City and Guilds was not in competition with other technical and examination bodies but was seeking to collaborate with the regional and national training agencies in the Caribbean for the development of the region.

Mr Jones’ visit to Jamaica coincided with the sitting by 10,000 Jamaican Grade 11 High School students and those enrolled in the Career Advancement Programme in City & Guilds Numeracy and English examinations on 21 June 2012.

During his visit to the region, Mr Jones also presided over the launch of the Institute of Leadership and Management’s Caribbean Programme at the Hilton in Barbados.