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Trainee technicians energised by bpTT and MIC-IT

Release date:
3 December 2024
             

New opportunities have been created for 12 trainees who are pursuing Level III National Journeyman Diplomas at the MIC Institute of Technology (MIC-IT), Macoya Technology Centre. 


This opportunity was made possible through sponsorship by energy company, bp Trinidad and Tobago (bpTT). Having started classes in October 2024, the trainees were visited by members of the executive management teams of both bpTT and MIC-IT on Tuesday, 5 November, to gather feedback and inspire the graduates to attain their best.


Leading the bpTT team was President, David Campbell, “Alongside our company’s focus on investing in the development of people, I am personally a big fan of education. This is a very progressive training programme, and the interaction with the trainees was enlightening and encouraging. This training is so progressive and open-minded that these young persons are preparing for a career in the industry while also training for jobs that don’t currently exist. Upon graduation, they will be equipped to operate in an environment defined by new processes and technology including AI. The trainees share the same focus as bpTT in that we are grounded in grasping present opportunities while ensuring that we are poised for the future.”


The students will engage in full-time training for three years in the fields of mechanical, electrical/ electronics, industrial instrumentation maintenance and Process Plant Operations/Production Operations. During the first year, trainees will be exposed to all the technical areas while training in-house at the MIC-IT Macoya  Technology Centre. Upon completion of year one, they will then be given hands-on industrial experience for two years at bpTT’s facilities on a shift rotation and attend  classroom sessions at MIC-IT during the days off weeks.


Sharing his thoughts on the programme was MIC-IT’s Chairman, Professor Emeritus Clément Imbert O.R.T.T., “It’s auspicious to reflect that the journey that brought us to today started 50 years ago. This facility started as a tool and die workshop , but it was realised that workers would require training in the use of precision machinery, and so this Institute was born. It was later transformed to follow the German model of technical-vocational training that merges theory and practical skills in an industrial setting.


“Over the years, MIC-IT has constantly evolved, and this is yet another step in this dynamic journey to stay ahead of future demands. This partnership with bpTT is adding great value as demonstrated by this innovative training programme. We expect that this partnership with bpTT, just like our shared vision, will only continue to expand and grow,” Professor Imbert added.


This collaboration between bpTT and MIC-IT was a full-circle moment for bpTT’s Operations Installation Site Manager, Lerry Brereton. Brereton was one of 20 Mayaro-based youths who received a bpTT (AMOCO) scholarship in November 1998 to study at MIC-IT (then called Metal Industries Company Ltd). As a member of the Institute’s alumni, he was instrumental in forging the partnership between MIC-IT and bpTT.


According to Brereton, “Without that scholarship, I would not have been able to access tertiary education, so when I got the opportunity, I fully embraced it. My experience at MIC-IT transformed my outlook and started me on a journey of lifelong learning and achievement. I started off as a trainee and now I hold a managerial position in bp, while also attaining three degrees including a Master’s. It was a powerful moment to interact with these trainees and reflect on the fact I was able to play a part in providing them with the very same opportunity that I had. I look forward to seeing the great things they achieve.”


Brereton noted that the programme was specifically designed to produce multiskilled and progressive technicians who would drive the progression of national industrial development. 


The trainees range between the ages of 18-25, and the selection necessitated a strong science-oriented academic foundation, while being cognisant of diversity in that the intake was split evenly across both genders. Among the selected trainees that met the qualification requirements were five young persons from bpTT’s home community of Mayaro.


Despite having only been in the programme for one month, the trainees collectively prepared a presentation on Maintenance Management that was delivered to the visiting bpTT and MIC-IT leadership teams. They were then challenged by Professor Imbert, who fielded several related questions, which were confidently answered by the trainees.


For 20-year-old Mystique Garcia, who hails from Mayaro, this is a life-changing opportunity, “My dad works in the industry as a logistics supervisor, so I was always motivated to follow in his footsteps. My intention is to succeed in this programme and when I get a job, I will work and study towards becoming an Electrical and Computer Engineer. The teachers here are top notch, and they support us every step of the way. Added to that is the support of bpTT and with the example set by Mr. Brereton, we know that the sky is the limit to what we can achieve.”