Johnny Calliste, Co-founder & Manager, CEEP.
INTRODUCTION
Mr. Johnny Calliste is the co-founder and manager of the Centre for Enhancing Educational Performance (CEEP). He is in his 30s and has thirteen years of experience working with youth rehabilitation and empowerment within the Ministry of Youth and Sports in Grenada. Additionally, he is a TVET certified trainer for Business Development and Soft Skills. CEEP was born in 2016 as a result of the lack of available youth training for ICT in emerging sectors and the demand by small businesses for web-based services. CEEP’s main objective is to promote innovation, creativity, and excellence by inspiring the next generation of STEM leaders.
EXPERIENCE WITH SKYE PROGRAMME
“Each funding entity has different and varying levels of requirements but SkYE’s requirements have been particularly useful because it has helped us to institute adequate management systems” reflected Mr. Calliste. He recognizes and commends the continuous support by SkYE Team during implementation. From his perspective the CEEP Project is very successful thus far given the following facts:
- Consistent 95%+ attendance
- Applicated of blended and differentiated learning techniques to accommodate trainees
- Portfolio and live demonstrations (even with no prior knowledge for some trainees)
- Life Skills impact on class participation
Mr. Calliste noted that, given the response to the trainee selection process, such a project is required island-wide to reach pockets of the respective target group, providing adequate support to facilitate their attendance as a vulnerable population and to make a sustainable impact on our economy. To improve impact and success, he further recommends that SkYE sufficiently considers the institutional constraints of the small training providers in our region.
TRAINING PROVIDER’S VISION
Mr. Calliste’s vision for the trainees and SkYE Programme is that “other young persons would see and understand the value of acquiring a relevant skill within our growing economy and aspire to invest in continuous personal growth and development.” Given that the application process generated 358 applicants of which only 60 could have been selected, he hopes to proceed with a similar project targeting single parent mothers with limited or no basic computer skills.
FACTS
UKaid support to CEEP allows for sixty (60) youth trainees (male and female as well as differently abled) to acquire skills in Full Stack Web Development and Graphics Design at Caribbean Vocational Qualification (CVQ) Level 2. Training includes business development and work-readiness components. Trainees are from rural, socially disadvantaged backgrounds including youth of ‘second chance’ programmes. This training will allow participants to have a steady source of income as an employee or an entrepreneur.
The Skills for Youth Employment (SkYE) is a four 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 is supporting national training authorities and training providers to make systemic improvements to the development, delivery and quality assurance of technical, vocational education and training (TVET) in the four focus islands through targeted capacity building.
