分类： education

A promising young culinary talent from Antigua has taken the first major step toward her professional career through a targeted industry training initiative. Destiny George, a student at Ottos Comprehensive School, has officially started a 10-week culinary internship at the luxury Keyonna Beach Resort Antigua, placed through the highly anticipated Taste of Wadadli Junior Chef Academy 2026 program.

As the sixth young chef selected to be featured in this initiative, George will receive one-on-one mentorship throughout her placement from seasoned professional Chef Patrick Brown. Unlike traditional classroom learning, the internship is designed to immerse participants in the fast-paced environment of a commercial resort kitchen, giving George the chance to build practical, hands-on skills that cannot be learned from textbooks. Over the course of the placement, she will develop core culinary techniques alongside customer-centric hospitality expertise, laying a strong foundation for a future career in Antigua and Barbuda’s thriving tourism sector.

The structured program follows a clear timeline that builds from training to competitive evaluation: the in-resort internship runs from July 13 through August 21, after which all participating trainee chefs will advance to a high-stakes cook-off competition held between August 25 and 28. The entire initiative will wrap with a formal closing ceremony on September 3, where final awards and recognitions will be distributed to participants.

The top prize for the program offers a life-changing career opportunity for one outstanding trainee: the selected Top Junior Chef will earn the right to represent Antigua and Barbuda at the 2027 Junior Lit’l Chef Camp hosted in Turks and Caicos, opening doors to international networking, skill development, and industry exposure.

The Taste of Wadadli Junior Chef Academy is a collaborative effort between three key stakeholders invested in nurturing local talent: the Antigua and Barbuda Hotels and Tourism Association, the Ted Isaac Family, and Global Ports Holding, which is the operator of Antigua Cruise Port. The initiative reflects a growing commitment across Antigua’s tourism industry to train young local professionals and build a skilled, homegrown workforce for the country’s top economic sector.

Following a highly successful inaugural iteration held in the Caribbean, two leading higher education institutions — The University of the West Indies Five Islands Campus, based in Antigua and Barbuda, and Canada’s University of Toronto — are moving forward to turn their collaborative summer study abroad programme into a permanent annual offering.

Hosted across three weeks at UWI’s Five Islands Campus, the first edition of the programme centered on the specialized interdisciplinary course “Rethinking Crime, Law and Power in the Caribbean.” University representatives note that the programme marks a key step in reviving cross-institutional exchange opportunities between the two schools, with a formal memorandum of understanding (MOU) already structured to enable ongoing reciprocal exchanges of both students and faculty members for years to come.

This year’s inaugural cohort brought together a diverse group of learners pursuing studies across a wide range of fields, including pre-law, prison reform, criminology, public policy, computer science, and mathematics. Leading academics who facilitated the course say the hands-on, immersive experience pushed participants to re-examine long-held assumptions about deeply interconnected social issues shaping the Caribbean region: systemic race relations, structural poverty, patterns of criminal activity, and systemic dispossession of marginalized communities.

“All, if not the majority of our students, have profoundly changed the way that they think about the nature of race relations [and] the nature of poverty,” one senior academic involved in the programme shared.

Unlike traditional classroom-only courses, the programme blended traditional lectures and in-depth seminar discussions with immersive field trips across Antigua and Barbuda. Students visited sites including the island of Barbuda, Betty’s Hope — a historic former sugar plantation that offers key context for the region’s colonial history — the Dennis Bowers Rehabilitation Centre, and His Majesty’s Prison, giving learners first-hand insight into the criminal justice and social systems the course explored.

Programme organizers report that the experience left a lasting impact on all participants. Many students were so transformed by their time in Antigua and Barbuda that a group has already begun organizing an independent reunion trip scheduled for within the next two years.

Beyond the benefits for international students visiting the Caribbean, the cross-institutional collaboration also opens new doors for UWI Five Islands students to gain broader exposure to Canadian educational systems and social issues. As one UWI official explained, the small Caribbean nation’s geography, economy, and culture are all deeply shaped by global dynamics. Giving local students the chance to engage with perspectives from a country like Canada is a critical step in expanding their worldviews and knowledge bases.

The official added that University of Toronto’s robust, widely recognized criminology programme creates a strong foundation for deepened academic collaboration between the two institutions in coming years, opening doors for joint research, curriculum development, and additional exchange opportunities beyond the annual summer programme.

A groundbreaking partnership between a local dining destination and a Caribbean secondary school is opening new doors for aspiring young culinary professionals, as Charr’d Restaurant has stepped forward to mentor a student from Antigua Grammar School through the innovative Junior Chef Academy program.

The initiative, designed to bridge the gap between classroom learning and real-world industry experience, gives promising young students the rare opportunity to learn hands-on skills from seasoned restaurant professionals. Unlike traditional in-school training, the mentorship program places the student directly in the dynamic, fast-paced environment of a working commercial kitchen, where they can observe daily operations, practice fundamental cooking techniques, and gain insight into the behind-the-scenes work that goes into running a successful food service business.

For Charr’d Restaurant, the collaboration represents more than just a community outreach project: it is an investment in the future of Antigua and Barbuda’s hospitality and culinary sector. By nurturing local talent early in their educational journey, the restaurant aims to build a pipeline of skilled young workers who can go on to strengthen the island nation’s tourism and food industries long-term. Restaurant leadership has emphasized that they are eager to share their expertise, from menu planning and food safety standards to customer service, to help the next generation of chefs develop the confidence and skills they need to succeed.

The Antigua Grammar School student participating in the program brings a long-held passion for cooking to the opportunity, and has already begun working alongside Charr’d’s head chef and kitchen team to learn core culinary practices. Educators at the school have praised the partnership, noting that work-based mentorship programs like this complement academic learning by giving students practical, transferable skills that will serve them regardless of their future career paths. Many students interested in culinary arts often lack access to professional training opportunities in small island nations, making this collaboration a model for how local businesses can partner with educational institutions to fill that gap.

Aspiring graduate students seeking flexible, career-focused advanced study have gained extra time to submit their applications, after the University of the West Indies (UWI) International School for Development Justice announced a major extension to its application window for fully online postgraduate programs, pushing the final deadline back to 31 July 2026.

In an official statement released by the institution, school leaders explained that the decision to extend the deadline was crafted to remove barriers for qualified candidates across the globe. By extending the cutoff date, the school aims to open doors for a more diverse pool of prospective learners who may need additional time to prepare application materials, arrange financing, or align their enrollment plans with personal and professional commitments. Unlike in-person programs that require relocation or strict on-campus attendance, all of the school’s postgraduate offerings can be completed 100 percent remotely, meaning enrollees can advance their education from any location with an internet connection, fitting their studies around existing work, family, or community obligations.

The suite of available programs covers a wide range of high-demand, impact-focused fields, catering to students interested in addressing some of the most pressing global challenges of the 21st century. Prospective enrollees can choose from multiple credential levels to match their goals: Master’s of Science degrees, postgraduate diplomas, and postgraduate certificates are all available. Focus areas of study include Public Health and Informatics, Sustainability and Data Analytics, Climate and Development Studies, Sustainable Development and Justice, and Sustainable Leadership and Development. This diverse lineup reflects the school’s core mission of advancing development justice, combining technical skill-building with training in equitable, sustainable global development.

As of the announcement, the institution’s online application portal remains active and accepting submissions, with no changes to the existing application review process. Candidates who submit successful applications will retain full access to the fully online study format, retaining all the flexibility and geographic freedom that remote learning offers to non-traditional and international students.

ST. JOHN’S, Antigua and Barbuda – A promising young culinary talent from St. Mary’s Secondary School has taken his first major step toward a professional hospitality career, launching a six-week hands-on internship at the luxury Hermitage Bay resort as an early milestone in the 2026 Taste of Wadadli Junior Chef Academy.

Aleka Lewis Jr. began his on-the-job training July 13, working directly under the guidance of Hermitage Bay’s Executive Chef Desroy Spence through the end of the internship period on August 21. Unlike traditional classroom-based learning, this placement immerses Lewis in the fast-paced daily operations of a high-end professional kitchen, giving him the chance to build technical skills and industry insight that cannot be learned from textbooks alone.

The internship is not an isolated opportunity, but a core foundational component of the broader Junior Chef Academy initiative, which is structured to groom emerging young culinary talent across Antigua and Barbuda for long-term careers in hospitality. Following the conclusion of all participant internships, the academy will move to its final competitive phase: a high-stakes cook-off competition scheduled to run from August 25 to 28. The entire 2026 programme will wrap with a formal closing ceremony on September 3, where participants will be recognized for their hard work and growth over the course of the initiative.

At the end of the cook-off, one standout competitor will earn the title of the academy’s Top Junior Chef. Along with this prestigious recognition, the winner will secure a once-in-a-lifetime international opportunity: the chance to represent Antigua and Barbuda at the 2027 Junior Lit’l Chef Camp in Turks and Caicos. This international opportunity is made possible through a cross-regional partnership between the organizing bodies of the Taste of Wadadli programme and the Turks and Caicos Hotel and Tourism Association.

The 2026 Taste of Wadadli Junior Chef Academy is a collaborative effort, hosted by three key partners: the Antigua and Barbuda Hotels and Tourism Association, the Ted Isaac Family, and Global Ports Holding, which operates Antigua Cruise Port. From its inception, the initiative has centered on a clear core mission: to identify and nurture homegrown young culinary talent, and to encourage more young people in the country to pursue sustainable, rewarding careers in the thriving local hospitality and tourism sector.

KINGSTON, Jamaica — July 24, 2026 — The University of the West Indies (UWI) Press has announced that one of its flagship 2025 publications has earned international acclaim, taking home silver honors in the 28th annual Foreword INDIES Book of the Year Awards.

Titled *History Matters: Reassembling the Fragments of a Contested Past – In Honour of Bridget Brereton*, the edited volume claimed the Silver Winner distinction in the Adult Nonfiction History category. The collection, assembled by three UWI-based academics — Dr. Heather Cateau, Dr. Rita Pemberton, and Dr. Ronald Noel — centers on celebrating the transformative career of Bridget Brereton, one of the Caribbean’s most influential modern historians whose work has reshaped global understandings of the region’s past.

Across the volume’s collected essays, contributors unpack under-explored dimensions of Caribbean history, spanning economic structures, social dynamics, political evolution, and cultural identity formation. The volume’s analytical framing mirrors Brereton’s own scholarly approach, which prioritizes nuance, contextual depth, and a commitment to unpacking the complexities of contested historical narratives rather than oversimplifying the region’s past.

The Foreword INDIES Book of the Year Awards stand as one of the most prestigious recognitions for independent and university press publishing in North America and beyond. Each year, the awards program highlights exceptional works released over the prior calendar year from small independent publishing houses and academic presses, a segment of the industry that often produces niche and high-impact scholarship that receives less mainstream attention. Winners for the 2025 publishing cycle were announced earlier in July 2026 by Foreword Reviews, the leading trade journal focused exclusively on coverage of independent publishing.

In a statement following the award announcement, Christine Randle, Managing Director of UWI Press, emphasized the unique meaning of the international recognition. “This honor carries special significance, as *History Matters* pays tribute to the remarkable life and legacy of Bridget Brereton, one of the Caribbean’s most distinguished historians. We are delighted that the book has received international recognition from Foreword Reviews and extend heartfelt congratulations to the editors and contributors. This achievement highlights the global importance of Caribbean scholarship and reinforces the value of safeguarding and exploring our collective past.”

Michelle Schingler, Editor-in-Chief of Foreword Reviews, noted that competition for the 2026 awards was stiffer than ever before. “Each year, as our number of entrants increases and diversifies, the task of narrowing each genre category to a select few finalists gets harder. But that also makes the judges’ ultimate selections all the more exciting. We so look forward to their final choices, and we are proud to celebrate this year’s exemplary slate of winners,” Schingeton said.

Founded in 1992, UWI Press operates as a not-for-profit scholarly publisher focused on advancing research across 14 academic fields, with particular global recognition for its deep catalog of work focused on Caribbean history, cultural studies, literature, gender studies, education, and political science. All UWI Press publications undergo rigorous peer review and approval from an editorial committee made up of leading local and international scholars. To date, the press has more than 350 titles in print, with over 100 available through major e-book platforms including Kindle and Kobo, and it launched a dedicated mobile reading app for both iOS and Android devices in 2023. Over the past two decades, UWI Press titles have earned more than 80 international, regional, and national awards for excellence in scholarship, editing, and production.

The award comes as UWI, the parent institution of UWI Press, continues to cement its status as the Caribbean’s leading English-speaking research university. Established in 1948 as a small medical college affiliated with the University of London in Jamaica, UWI has grown dramatically over 75 years to serve nearly 50,000 students across five physical campuses: Mona in Jamaica, St. Augustine in Trinidad and Tobago, Cave Hill in Barbados, Five Islands in Antigua and Barbuda, and the online Global Campus, plus it maintains partnership research centers with leading higher education institutions across North America, Latin America, Asia, Africa, and Europe.

Today, the university offers more than 1,000 academic programs ranging from professional certificates to doctoral degrees across nine broad academic divisions, and it holds a consistent place in the Times Higher Education (THE) global rankings, having been included annually since 2018. It is the only English-speaking Caribbean university to be featured in four of THE’s most prestigious ranking lists: the overall World University Rankings, which evaluates more than 2,000 research-focused institutions globally; the Golden Age University Rankings for universities founded between 50 and 80 years ago; the Latin America and Caribbean Regional Rankings; and the Impact Rankings, which assess institutional contributions to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. This international recognition has supported the launch of UWI’s new International School for Development Justice, a global online graduate school focused on training future leaders for equitable and sustainable development across the Global South. As an SDG-engaged institution, UWI consistently ranks among the top universities globally for its advancement of the UN’s sustainable development agenda. More information about the university and its programs is available at www.uwi.edu.