The use of industry recognized certifications to develop the technical skills required to rebuild the bahamas after hurricane dorian and the global pandemic

Abstract

Individuals, organizations, and countries have had to address the unprecedented and dramatic impacts of the global COVID-19 pandemic from a health, economic, education, and societal perspective. An added challenge in the Bahamas is related to the significant impact of Hurricane Dorian, which struck the Northern Bahamas in the fall of 2019, devastating the Abaco Islands and Grand Bahama. This paper assesses the efforts within the Bahamas to recover from the dual impacts of the pandemic and the hurricane. In particular, the paper addresses the importance of developing the workforce-ready skills required to meet the national skill gap and the critical needs of businesses as a key part of the recovery efforts and preparing for the world of work post-pandemic. Specifically, the paper utilizes the Bahamas Technical and Vocational Institute (BTVI) to provide examples of developing and delivering key, in-demand, industrycertified workforce trade-related skills in traditional on-campus formats and increasingly using online and blended modalities in response to Hurricane Dorian and the global pandemic. The paper uses a mixed methods approach of a survey and interviews of participants completing an accelerated, certified, pilot skills training initiative. Overall, research results indicated that respondents were very satisfied with the training and suggested improvements was identified.