Red Deer College was pleased to host members from Trinidad & Tobago’s National Energy Skills Centre (NESC) to finalize a partnership between the organizations.
The guests from NESC were in the City on Tuesday to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that extends RDC’s services to Trinidad & Tobago for five years. This agreement allows the NESC access to RDC’s curriculums for use in local apprenticeship programs, third party exam development and professional development for NESC faculty.
Kern Dass, president of NESC said, “Our work with RDC has been essential in continuing our efforts with the Accreditation Council of Trinidad & Tobago, and we are pleased to be here today to extend this partnership with RDC. We are proud of the benefit that it will bring our institution and ultimately our students.”
Dass added, “We are an emerging technical vocational institution, we’ve been around for just about 18 years. We’re still young so we’re trying to grow and develop. To help us grow and develop, we’ve chosen RDC. We already have a relationship with Red Deer College but our visit today was to come and see in person what our partners are doing and trying to achieve under President (Joel) Ward. We are just amazed.”
Although more benefits may come later, such as student exchange opportunities, the focus is currently on faculty training development. Red Deer College will provide NESC with access to their curriculum and offer support in training faculty members abroad.
Both institutions are seeking to further their international branding. Through this partnership, both groups are able to extend their spectrum beyond their local regions and ultimately across the world.
“I think our relationship with RDC will lift us. It will increase our capacity and allow our instructors to be better trained. As we go for more and more accreditation, the level of faculty and exposure and experience is very important. Red Deer College will help us in trying to achieve what we would like to. We’re very happy to be partnering with RDC,” Dass said.
Ward said he was pleased to be hosting the representatives from NESC and to be able to develop this partnership further.
“Our faculty are very well trained in not only the industry expertise that they have, but also in methods of teaching and learning. We talk about testing, learning modules and faculty training – Red Deer College has some expertise in that area. We want to partner with and learn from the NESC in Trinidad and Tobago so that we will have opportunity to spend time with those folks. We will learn from each other and grow from it.”
He added Alberta is home of some of the most recognized apprenticeship programs in the world. Approximately 4,000 students at Red Deer College are apprentices.
“Red Deer College is very much international in its scope as well. We have the same kind of aspirations as we become a polytechnic university. We will continue to offer tremendous trades training with technical skills in many trades,” Ward said. “As we move forward to serve our region and beyond, we think our partnerships with Trinidad and Tobago speak very loudly about the capacity of this institution and the direction of the institution.”
Red Deer College has been partnering with the National Energy Skills Centre since 2008, providing support in apprenticeship training, theory testing and instructor development among other areas.
“We couldn’t be more pleased to welcome our guests from Trinidad & Tobago’s National Energy Skills Centre here today. Today is not only a day to showcase our first class facilities but to celebrate the continuation and evolution of this exciting partnership,” Ward said.
kmendonsa@reddeerexpress.com
