The Government Technical Institute (GTI) has been awarded $30 million to construct an Accredited Welding Facility which would see the institution being able to offer licences to welders upon certification with the American Welding Society.
With the oil and gas industry booming here, welding is in great demand.
News about the welding facility was revealed when GTI held its graduation ceremonies for the years 2021 and 2022 at the National Cultural Centre on February 2nd.
GTI is also to have a state-of-the-art building funded by the Ken Subraj Foundation of New York, USA to the tune of $140m. The sod for the building was turned last year. The building is a public-private partnership between the Ministry of Education and the Foundation.
A total of 672 students graduated for the 2021 and 2022 academic periods.
GTI registered an overall 61% pass rate in 2021 and 79% pass rate in 2022, according to Principal, Dr Renita Crandon Duncan.
The Valedictorian for 2021 was Arantxa English from the Mechanical Department who pursued the Technician’s Diploma in Mechanical Engineering and the Valedictorian for 2022 was Isaiah DePenna of the Building Department, who pursued the Technician’s Diploma in Civil Engineering. DePenna noted that in spite of family matters, interpersonal problems and the long hours and weekly headaches, “we persevered and we are here today”.
The Computer Science Department was adjudged the Most Outstanding Department for 2021 with an overall 89% pass and the Building Department was the Most Outstanding for 2022 with a 94% pass. The Science Department is the Most Improved Department for 2021 with 72% followed by the Land Surveying Department as the Most Improved for 2022 with 91%.
This Institution is celebrating its 71st year of existence and said that it is committed to offer education and training to young people and adults in technical, commercial and scientific fields relevant to the needs of the national economy.
Tiffanie Persaud was appointed Deputy Principal of GTI and Gary Ifill was appointed as Senior Lecturer in the Building Department. GTI is in its implementation phase, preparing to achieve the ISO 9001:2015 International Standard Quality and ISO 45001:2018 International Standard for Safety.
