Barbadians who have embraced lifelong learning through the National Transformation Initiative (NTI) were honoured at Ilaro Court on Monday night, as the digital skills training programme marked its fifth anniversary with an award ceremony, dubbed ‘A Night with the STARRS’, celebrating achievement, inclusion and innovation.
Although Prime Minister Mia Mottley was in Jamaica, meeting regional leaders on Hurricane Melissa recovery efforts, she addressed the audience in a recorded message, emphasising the evening’s significance for the country’s progress and purpose.
She praised the NTI for helping to deliver access to learning for more than one hundred thousand citizens and noted that with a little more time, that figure would approach 150 000.
Mottley said: “NTI is for all who dare to believe and provides skills for all, from public officers and students to retirees. There are no barriers to inclusivity. NTI is not a side project but is a cornerstone to growing the digital economy and empowering people.”
With that message, the night unfolded into an absorbing look at the people who have turned the NTI from an idea into a national movement. Remarks were also made by Global General Manager of Coursera, Anthony Salcito, and Senior Adviser and Head of Coursera for Campus, Chad Pasha, who described the partnership as inspiring.
Pasha said: “This is a lighthouse project with the NTI. I have just returned from Guyana where, together with the Ministry of Public Service and President Irfaan Ali, we launched the public sector upskilling platform, and they also run a national upskilling programme launched two years ago. Why did I mention that? Because Guyana’s national programme was inspired by the vision first conceived and born here in Barbados by the NTI and under Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley’s leadership five years ago.”
He added: “Our partnership with NTI launched on May 1 2021, and it was Coursera’s first national-scale programme in the Caribbean and one of our very first in the world. We thank the NTI team and the Government of Barbados for lighting the path to a broader regional transformation.”
Global General Manager Salcito also commended the NTI’s journey and spoke about how its blend of digital learning and accessible online courses has helped reshape the national conversation about personal development. He said: “This partnership is truly a template for what we need to do globally, and NTI, you are leading the way.”
There were several emotional moments throughout the night. Carmen Davis, aged 81, was celebrated as the oldest learner to complete a course. Hasan Alkins drew admiration for completing the most courses (70), while Chenesia Brathwaite received special recognition for dedicating more than 350 hours to learning. The Lifelong Learner Award was presented to Amelia Joseph, while Stevan Antrobus won the Career Advancement Award. A Mindset Movement Award was also presented to Paul Haynes and Edward Gaskin. The Person with Disability STARR Award went to Janelle Skinner.
The spotlight also turned to the Workplace Transformation Award, which highlighted employees nominated by their organisations for bringing NTI training into daily practice. Nominees included staff from Grantley Adams International Airport and the National Assistance Board. In the next segment, small business owners were celebrated in the Mega-Micropreneur Award category for using NTI and Coursera to strengthen their enterprises. The entrepreneur awardees were Jabarri Thorne, Shane Agard, Heidi Bowen and Jenelle Maynard, all of whom shared how a single course sparked new knowledge that translated into better business operations.
Creatives were also acknowledged for integrating their artistic work with the vision of NTI, with Kraigg Carrington and Samuel Thompson receiving Creative STARR Awards. Educational institutions, including the Barbados Community College, the Barbados Institute of Management and Productivity and the University of the West Indies, were recognised for creatively embedding NTI courses into their syllabuses.
The Director’s Award was presented to NTI team member Fabian Grant, who was celebrated for exceptional dedication, while the evening’s highest honour, the Prime Minister’s Award, was given to Adrian Green in recognition of his work as an ambassador whose efforts embody the NTI’s values and vision.
(DT)
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