Andrea Phillips
Ms. Andrea Phillips is now formally trained for the first time since her appointment in February 2012 as a Language and Communications Instructor, at the Campden Park Technical Institute, St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Thanks to support from UKaid provided through the SkYE Programme, as a result of this training Andrea can now pursue her dream of accessing further education while supporting other instructors.
Andrea lives on the leeward side of St Vincent in a small village, known as Penniston, within the Vermont Valley. She is a single parent to a young daughter. Andrea says that before the SKYE training programme, “I had been working as an instructor relying on my own research and guidance from few colleagues. I learnt about the programme through the Principal of our institution and quickly indicated my interest in attending, since I always had a keen interest in becoming a trained teacher or having some form of knowledge of the skills in my profession. At the first opportunity I made it a priority to attend, as I am fully aware that I am in no financial position to become trained otherwise.”
EXPERIENCE WITH SkYE PROGRAMME
Andrea was very impressed by the training received and says “I will definitely recommend this programme for ALL untrained TVET teachers. The programme teaches a lot about how to utilize various teaching strategies within the classroom and very importantly how to teach students who may have different forms of challenges. It is my philosophy that a nurse cannot effectively practice nursing without being trained and so too for teaching; a teacher cannot effectively teach without the necessary training. I have become more equipped and much more confident in the classroom because of the TQUK teacher training programme.”
FUELED BY TRAINING
Andrea enthusiastically stated, “My job as a language and communications instructor is to help students become more knowledgeable of the basics of the English language and to develop their practical skills in applying language, to support their area of study/training. Since the training, I have been more organized and prepared in terms of my instructional plans. Additionally, I am also more conscious and alert to students’ individual learning needs. My teaching sessions now include more careful research and planning of relevant activities to reach each student according to their diverse learning abilities.
“For the future, I am hoping to attain the highest level of teacher training, especially in the field of Language and Communication, so that I may be better able to contribute to the lives of those I teach and I may be able to assist other instructors.”
FACTS
The Skills for Youth Employment (SkYE) is a 3-year, UKAid-funded programme to provide certified skills training for 6,000 disadvantaged young people, including those challenged by disability, in four Eastern Caribbean countries: Dominica, Grenada, St Lucia and St Vincent & the Grenadines. The Programme will develop a more productive and inclusive workforce in sectors with good economic growth potential.
SkYE partnered with the Lincoln College, UK to deliver the training of trainers to gain the TQUK Level 3 Award in Education and Training. This provides a strong foundation to enable progression to further teaching, training, assessment and internal quality assurance qualifications and is ideal for those with no previous formal qualifications.
