Apprenticeship in Grenada

The Ministry of Education leads TVET policy and implementation. The Grenada Council for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (GCTVET) and the Grenada National Training Agency (GNTA) operate under the GCTVET Act No. 9 of 2009. The GNTA coordinates national TVET activities, develops occupational standards, registers and accredits providers, supports course and traineeship matching, monitors quality assurance and certifies National Vocational Qualifications (NVQs) and Caribbean Vocational Qualifications (CVQs). The Act allows occupation-specific training schemes with rules for age and education, employer-based practice and theory, testing, maximum working hours, minimum pay and conditions, training contracts, registration and transfers. This legal authority does not by itself show that a general national apprenticeship scheme is operating. Training can take place through an institution, an employer, a community organisation, an NGO or church, an on-the-job placement or a combination of workplace and classroom learning. The Technical and Allied Management College of the Caribbean (TAMCC) is the main public provider and has four campuses. Other options include NEWLO, private Approved Training Centres and project-based providers such as the Business Support Centre, CDACT, Grand Bacolet Rehabilitation Centre, Point Salines Hotel, ABC Ltd., Tech World and His Majesty's Prisons. Relevant fields include agriculture, automotive work, business, construction, creative industries, education, engineering and maintenance, public services, and tourism and hospitality. One current example is the Hospitality Apprenticeship Program announced by the GNTA and the Grenada Hotel and Tourism Association on March 25, 2026. It was designed as a nine-month Work and Learn programme for 45 underemployed people aged 18 to 35, with a focus on women and underserved communities. The planned places covered eight pastry chefs, 17 bartenders or mixologists and 20 housekeeping supervisors. Classroom learning was planned at TAMCC or Point Salines Hotel, followed by on-the-job training at participating hotels, with a target of Level 3 CVQ. Later delivery and completion status has not been verified. The six-year SAEP project also includes vocational skills training, apprenticeships and job placement for young people aged 16 to 35, with a target of 400 participants at Level 2 CVQ or NVQ and GNTA quality assurance and certification for 60 assessment of prior learning candidates. The Caribbean Vocational Qualification (CVQ) is a CARICOM-recognised and portable occupational award. The National Vocational Qualification (NVQ) is a national qualification. Both use competency-based education and training (CBET), which assesses whether a learner can perform defined occupational tasks. Levels range from Level 1, which covers an apprentice or supervised semi-skilled worker, to Level 5, which covers a chartered professional or managerial role. Level 2 represents a skilled worker, Level 3 an independently skilled technical worker who may supervise others, and Level 4 a professional, manager or master craftsperson. Entry requirements depend on the provider and programme. CVQ entry can begin at the level matching demonstrated competence. Assessment of prior learning (APL), also called prior learning assessment and recognition (PLAR), can recognise relevant formal, non-formal, informal and work-based experience. For TAMCC programmes, published examples include at least five CSEC subjects including English A for an Associate Degree, four CSEC subjects including English A for a Level II Technician Certificate, and two CSEC subjects or demonstrated literacy and numeracy for a Technical Diploma. A Short-Term Certificate may require secondary completion plus two CSEC subjects or related experience. Mature entry can apply to applicants over 25 with at least five years of relevant work experience. Provisional entry can apply with at least seven CSEC subjects when the required English A or Mathematics subject is missing, provided it is completed by the following academic year. TAMCC full-time tuition is free for eligible Grenadian nationals, subject to programme conditions. Published exceptions include EC$3,000 per year for Cosmetology Service Technician and EC$1,200 per year for Accounting Technician. Part-time study is listed at EC$275 per course per semester. GNTA certification fees and provider charges may also apply. The Work and Learn programme's costs were not published. A TVET policy proposal includes an Enterprise Training Fund, grants, public-private partnerships, tuition or fee support, subsidies, levies and tax rebates, but these proposals should not be treated as a general current entitlement. There is no general apprenticeship duration standard. The nine-month Work and Learn programme is a specific example, while TAMCC programmes have their own durations. Assessment can include observation, product examination, oral questioning, written testing and a portfolio. Each completed unit appears on an official transcript, and the final award depends on completing the units required for the qualification. An internal verifier and an independent external verifier support quality control. If training is interrupted, continuation at another Approved Training Centre may be possible. An Approved Training Centre is a provider within the recognised registration and quality-assurance system for vocational training. Applicants should confirm the centre's status, the qualification being offered, the assessment body and whether the result will be an NVQ or CVQ. Working hours, pay, contract form, insurance, leave, transfer rules and arrangements for ending a programme depend on the specific scheme. An apprenticeship or CVQ does not automatically create a paid job or guarantee employment. Limited facilities, instructor capacity, programme funding and the absence of a central apprenticeship database can restrict available places and continuity.