Apart from awarding scholarships for colleges and universities abroad, the SHTA has been encouraging Government to use available EU or Dutch funding to develop a Vocational Poly-technical/ Hospitality Training Institute on St. Maarten that could provide the local population with the training, skills and certification necessary to successfully enter the job market. This, the SHTA believes would not only protect the local workforce, but would reduce the need for businesses to seek foreign labor.
The SHTA, in its Vision for St. Maarten document, identified the development of a Vocational Training Institute as a solution for much of the issues affecting overall quality of life. In forum settings with members of the community, it was decided that expanding the number of educational facilities locally, would give low income earners and persons not eligible for scholarships abroad, the opportunity to gain certifiable skills locally. This in turn would increase their employment possibilities, leading to more disposable income and less financial stress. With more focus on career opportunities, youth delinquency could be significantly reduced.
It is for this reason that the SHTA has been supportive in the development of the SBO program. Aside from participation in the SBO workshops, the SHTA, through the assistance of its membership, advised on the curriculum.
The SHTA is looking forward to the development of this educational facility and continued partnership with the SBO with the goal of meeting the demands of the labor market.
