ITVET Hosts Open House
It is safe to say that the ITVET is a story of success. Enrollment has been growing and so is the selection of programs offered. At an open house today at its compound in Belize City, visitors experienced first-hand a number of services the institute is offering as well as a look at a variety of products crafted by the students. News Five’s Duane Moody reports.
Duane Moody, Reporting
There are approximately four hundred and fifty students enrolled in the various vocation and technical programs offered at the ITVET in Belize City. Today, an open day was held at the Freetown Compound in an effort to put on display the skills of the students from the education institution. The idea is to target high school students who would want to take on a trade.
Kenroy Ellis
Kenroy Ellis, Manager, ITVET Belize City
“The trainees take over, it is their day. They get to showcase the skills that they have mastered over the past eight months that they have been with us. So you will see several displays…the famous hotel room, the cosmetology program; we have the dining experience and to the back to the workshop block, we also have the carpentry program which is a CET-type program. We have welding, we have AC and Refrigeration Repair; we have electricity. So those are some of the programs that we are showcasing here today.”
Manager Kenroy Ellis says that providing the trained persons to meet the demands of the various local industries is the end goal. An industry that is continuously looking for the yes I can attitude is that of tourism.
Sharraie Fitzgibbon
Sharraie Fitzgibbon, Hospitality/Tourism Program
“Front desk is where we meet and greet the guests and where we have a special relationship with the guests because we have to accommodate them with the things they need. As the front desk agent, I have to look appropriate and speak in a very well manner to the guests or visitors and I have to give them the accommodation they need.”
Cosmetology has readily become a popular venture taken on by entrepreneurs. The open-day allowed persons to get facials, pedicures, manicures and their hair done. Vilma Ayala’s plan is to open her own salon.
Vilma Ayala
Vilma Ayala, Cosmetology Program
“I’m here at ITVET doing the cosmetology course. Right now we are doing level one. As my experience and it is something that I love doing; I had never had a certificate, but I have been doing cosmetology since I was twelve years old. So I decided to attend ITVET because I want to get my certificate and in the future I want to open my own business. Right here, we are learning about doing hair, nails, manicures, pedicures, facials.”
Garden chairs, TV stands, coffee tables and other furniture were also on display by the carpentry department.
Elias Young
Elias Young, Carpentry Program
“It take us about a month to build the model house, about three days to build the three chairs, four days to build the panades booth and the TV stand about a week.”
Duane Moody
“What were they made out of?”
Elias Young
“Out of palette and our of pine wood.”
Duane Moody
“So recycled materials used to create those work of art?”
Elias Young
“Yes, sir we go every…when my teacher say for us to build something, we go to different companies and we ask them for palettes and when we get it, my teacher tells us what to build and we build it.”
The students of the AC and Refrigeration program today demonstrated that their skills were not only in assembling AC units and repairing refrigerators, but that they are “moving along with technology.”
Leoton Lord
Leoton Lord, AC & Refrigeration Program
“Basically we install, repair and maintain AC units. We also fix refrigerators if they have leaks and what’s not.”
Duane Moody
“Talk to us about the project that you guys are doing here.”
Leoton Lord
“Well in this project, we are trying to incorporate devices along with appliances and our theme is moving along with technology. So we are trying to show everyone how you can now control your AC unit from your phone or your tablet.”
Duane Moody for News Five.
