Antigua and Barbuda’s Minister of Education Daryll Matthew has announced that a local construction firm is set to commit a total of $750,000 over a three-year term to expand technical and vocational trades training at the Antigua and Barbuda College of Advanced Studies, marking a landmark public-private partnership to strengthen the country’s skilled workforce. Delivering the update during a recent appearance on the popular Browne and Browne Show, Matthew confirmed that ministry officials are finalizing administrative steps ahead of signing a formal memorandum of understanding (MOU) that will formalize the annual disbursement of $250,000 from the unnamed construction partner for the initial three-year funding window. The funding framework was unveiled as part of broader discussions around ongoing upgrades to the Harrison Centre and the national government’s multi-pronged strategy to elevate technical and vocational education and training (TVET) access across the twin-island nation. Minister Matthew emphasized that the core goal of the investment is to equip more local residents with in-demand practical occupational skills, while simultaneously addressing a long-standing systemic gap of low male student engagement across formal education pathways. “We are conducting a full review of every segment of our national education ecosystem to identify opportunities that not only produce a pipeline of qualified, trained professionals to drive national development, but also ensure we do not leave young boys behind in educational participation, whether that is through technical vocational tracks or other academic streams,” Matthew explained. He specifically flagged high-growth, high-demand trades including plumbing, masonry, carpentry, electrical installation, and automotive mechanics as priority fields for the expanded training programs, noting that structured, up-to-date training in these areas will ensure local workers remain competitive even as rapid technological transformation reshapes regional and global workplaces. The minister added that the dual-focused investment is designed to deliver dual benefits: individual students will gain marketable, lifelong employable skills that open stable career pathways, while the wider national economy will benefit from a larger, more capable skilled trades workforce to support ongoing infrastructure, construction, and community development projects nationwide.
Construction firm to provide $750,000 for trades training, Matthew says
