Barbados’ public vocational training sector is seeing explosive growth in interest for culinary arts education, prompting the Barbados Vocational Training Board (BVTB) to rapidly scale its international cuisine programming and explore new industry partnerships to meet unmet demand. That is according to top BVTB officials, who shared new enrollment details during the agency’s 2026 orientation rally, where more than 350 aspiring learners registered for courses in the current semester.
Gerard Prescod, BVTB’s Director of Training, revealed that the board’s flagship international cuisine programme has already tripled in size in just a few years, growing from an initial two classes to six full sections today. With application volumes continuing to far outpace available spots, Prescod confirmed that agency leaders are already planning a further doubling of capacity to 12 classes once current expansion work is completed.
“The response to culinary training, particularly for core specializations like professional cooking and pastry arts, has been absolutely overwhelming,” Prescod told attendees at the orientation rally. “Every segment of the learner population is eager to develop skills in cooking, baking, and pastry production, leading to the unprecedented demand we are seeing for these programs.”
Sophia Moore, Assistant Director of Training Operations at BVTB, added that strong demand for culinary training extends beyond traditional young trainee cohorts, with mature learners also driving growth in the board’s specialized evening programming. Moore noted that the board offers three evening class sessions per year specifically designed for working adults and older learners, and every session hits full capacity well before the registration deadline.
“We consistently see a high volume of qualified applicants for international cuisine, commercial cooking, and baking programs across all our offerings,” Moore explained. “These trade areas consistently maintain one of the highest demand profiles of any program we run, regardless of the learner demographic we are serving.”
Beyond expanding in-class capacity, BVTB is also working to boost career opportunities for its culinary trainees by deepening ties with Barbados’ thriving tourism and hospitality sector. Prescod announced that the agency is developing a new three-year apprenticeship program that will place trainees directly with corporate and hospitality partners across the island to gain on-the-job experience. The board also offers a flexible implant training model, where BVTB’s expert instructors travel directly to partner workplaces to deliver customized skills training for staff.
Already, BVTB’s culinary training program has built a strong reputation with Barbados’ leading hotel brands, with trainees regularly getting hands-on experience at top properties. Prescod cited a recent example where six BVTB trainees supported kitchen operations at the island’s Girlfriend’s Expo, and following the event, executives at Wyndham Sam Lord’s Castle Castle Resort immediately invited the group back for further work opportunities. Prescod added that BVTB’s two lead culinary instructors bring decades of industry experience and extensive professional connections to the program, helping open doors for trainees seeking work in Barbados’ competitive hospitality sector.