On July 10, 2026, nineteen graduates of the Aviation Maintenance Engineer Student Programme were honoured at the inaugural General Aviation Maintenance Closing and Awards Ceremony held at the Grantley Adams International Airport. The programme, supported by the Ministry of Tourism and International Transport and the Ministry of Technological and Vocational Training, marked the successful completion of its first class.
The six-week programme was developed through a partnership between the Samuel Jackman Prescod Institute of Technology (SJPI) and the Barbados Aircraft and Aviation Services Company Ltd. (BAASC). Through the initiative, SJPI students received fully funded internships with BAASC, where they completed specialised training designed to prepare them for careers as aircraft mechanics and aviation maintenance engineers.
Addressing the ceremony, Minister of Tourism and International Transport, the Honourable G.P. Ian Gooding-Edghill, described the programme as an important investment in Barbados’ aviation industry. He highlighted the Government’s commitment to creating specialised technical opportunities for young Barbadians while strengthening the country’s aviation workforce through local talent development.
Minister of Technological and Vocational Training, the Honourable C. Sandra V. Husbands, M.P., challenged the long-standing stigma surrounding vocational education, noting that technical training has too often been treated as a second choice to academics.
“For too long we’ve tested people for academic abilities and then told them to pick up technical as a standby.”
She added that expanding access to specialised aviation training reflects the changing direction of tertiary education in Barbados.
“In the area of civil aviation there are many opportunities we never really trained our young people for in the past; therefore, this is a groundbreaking moment.”
Minister Husbands also explained that the programme represents a shift from a supply-driven labour market to a demand-driven model, giving graduates a stronger chance of securing employment in industries where skilled workers are actively needed.
Acting Principal of the Samuel Jackman Prescod Institute of Technology, Mrs. Brenda Osbourne, congratulated the graduating class and paid special tribute to the students selected for job attachments at the Grantley Adams International Airport. She revealed that the programme’s top 10 performers achieved final assessment averages ranging from 85 to 97 per cent, reflecting the high standard of performance demonstrated throughout the internship.
Valedictorians Britney Clarke-Forde and Dominic Ward also addressed the audience, expressing gratitude for the opportunity to participate in the programme and reflecting on the practical experience and professional growth gained throughout the six-week internship.
