While artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping industries across the globe, technical and vocational skills will remain a bedrock of society, says Acting Assistant Director of Training at the Barbados Vocational Training Board (BVTB), Kwesi Osei.
Speaking to the media on the sidelines of the board’s inaugural orientation at the Lomer Alleyne Training Centre, Sayes Court, Christ Church, Osei revealed that enrolment numbers for this year were “approximately 400”, with further registration still to come.
The assistant director noted that hospitality programmes such as international cuisine, bar and restaurant services, and housekeeping continue to attract strong interest, alongside courses in heavy equipment operation.
“As I was saying before, with the advent of AI coming on stream, work will transform, but some things won’t, right? Technical vocational training will transform, but not in the way that we think. It’s not going to be a major disruptor in that area,” Osei explained. “AI is going to change how certain jobs are done, but when it comes to vocational training, this is a skill that you’re learning and once you’ve learned a skill, nobody can take that skill away from you.”
He added that AI may assist in training or job performance, but cannot replace the need for human hands and practical expertise, particularly in specialised skills-based jobs. “Right now we live in the age of ‘show me what you can do’ . . . it’s not only about certifications, but you have to demonstrate that you have competency and mastery in your specific area.”
Osei stressed that these trades form the backbone of any functioning society. “We also have to take into consideration that technical vocation skills are important for building the overall infrastructure of society. You need somebody to build, you need somebody to do plumbing, you need somebody to do electrical work, you need somebody to plough the land. All these skills are needed even though AI would have been a disruptor, and even though it can be used as an aid, we still need people who can practically apply those skills in those environments.”
He said the benefits of learning such trades go beyond traditional income scales, as they can open doors to much more fruitful job opportunities.
He said, “A lot of people are engaged in crime because they don’t have the skills. They don’t see the other avenues and they don’t know how much money they can earn from a skill. In the academic field . . . you can see a perceived cap on salary, in the technical vocational field [there] is not really a cap. It depends on how long you really want to play the skill for.” (SB)
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