Finding a job is seldom easy, especially if you don’t have the right experience. The National Training Board (NTB) sponsors apprentices and trainees who study at the technical education centre at Bermuda College in programmes that are recognised accordingly to the standards set by the NTB in consultation with the industry.

These courses include:

Electrical Wiring Technology - Upon successful completion of this programme, students will be certified as a Journeyman Inside Wireman recognised by the NJATC, whose standards are highly regarded around the world, wherever US and Canadian electrical standards are in use.

Over the five-year programme, students cover theoretical concepts in electrical wiring while honing their practical skills.

Electronics Technolog> - Designed with the assistance of employers, this programme prepares learners for employment as a technician in the island’s growing electronics and telecommunications industry.

The first year of the two-year course provides a firm grounding in the fundamentals of electrical and electronic principles, construction, electrical codes and standards and the construction of a basic telecommunications cabling infrastructure.

In the second year, the learner will cover electrical and electronic theory, test equipment, system grounding and the fundamentals of the EIA/TIA cabling standards as well as fundamentals of voice, data, wireless, fibre optic systems, connector construction, maintenance and repair, and planning and supervision principles.

The course follows a competency based modularised format and emphasis is placed on the practical application of the theory taught in the course. Graduates will complete the NCCER Core Curricula and the Electronics Systems Technician Level one to three.

Heating, Ventilation & Air Conditioning Technolo$> - This four-semester programme prepares people for jobs in a field that is increasingly important in Bermuda. The curriculum trains and evaluates students on a skill-by-skill basis, covering all aspects of the trade, from heating and air conditioning to refrigeration.

An internship is an integral part of the programme. It leads to certification by the internationally recognised National Center for Construction Education and Research, which has standardised training across the US.

Horticulture NPTC qualificati<$> - This modular programme covers the theoretical and practical applications and processes of the horticulture industry, so important to preserving Bermuda’s unique beauty.

The focus is on learning by doing and evaluation is skill-based. Successful learners qualify for certification by the National Proficiency Tests Council (NPTC) in areas that will include Safe Use of Pesticides (two modules), Pedestrian Operated Rotary and Cylinder Mowers, Self-propelled Ride-On Mowers, Turf Maintenance Equipment, Pedestrian Operated Cultivators, Hedge Trimmers, String Trimmers, Chainsaw Maintenance and Operation, Brushwood Chippers, Pruning and Planting.

Information Technoy<$> - This programme, offered in conjunction with private sector providers, will lead to certification in the major software, hardware and networking programmes used by businesses on the Island.

Plumbing Technology - Developed with the assistance of employers, this competency-based, modular programme usually takes two years to compete. The programme includes technical math, computer skills and technical communication as well as handling tools and materials.

During the second semester, learners cover such areas as pipefitting, system design, testing, trouble diagnosis and record keeping. An Internship, Apprenticeship, or approved prior experience. Graduates will be able to sit the City and Guilds Examinations and meet the Bermuda National Training Board standard for entering the plumbing tr.

Wood Technology - This comprehensive four-semester programme has been designed to provide students with the skill and related information necessary to meet the demands of a changing profession and the requirements of the NCCER system, which is internationally recognized in carpentry.

The modular programme includes technical math, computer skills and technical communication as well as practical skills in siting and blueprint reading, materials handling and use of tools required in interior and exterior construction. The programme also requires an internship, apprenticeship or approved prior experience.

Hairdring<$> - This three-year course leads to full certification and meets the City and Guilds standards. Students complete study modules while gaining practical experience from working in a salon.

Many NTB-sponsored Bermuda College programmes are offered in conjunction with NTB Apprenticeships. Special non-apprenticeship programmes are also funded by the NTB, often to meet demand by local industry.

Certified Purchasing Management - In the fast-growing field of purchasing and supply management, professionals negotiate contracts to acquire and co-ordinate the flow of goods, materials and the flow of goods, materials and services. The NTB funded the establishment of a programme at the Bermuda College in conjunction with the Purchasing Management Association of Cda.

A+ Certification<$> - NTB provides funding for this certification programme, offered by the Bermuda College, which provides certification in the use of computer hardware and software. Two 14-week modules can be taken at the same time or in sequence.

International Computer Driver’s Licence - Offered at the Bermuda College, this is a basic course in computer competence that is recognised internationally. It provides a standard definition of practical competence in information techogy.

Horticulture Certification<$> - The National Proficiency Tests Council trains and certifies local people working in senior positions in the horticulture industry so that they will be able to help develop and train others in the skills needed for certification.

Other programmes sponsored by the NTB include:

Technical Career Preparation Seminars - These informative workshops, held four times a year, introduce young people to the opportunities and benefits of technical careers - as well as letting them know what training is required and how tot it.

Prior Learning Assessment - To assist students with career change and advancement, this initiative at Bermuda College will assess students’ previous academic and practical work experience and their ability for advanced standing in training programmes.

Student Entrepreneurshipogramme<$> - The NTB financially assists Bermuda’s Small Business Development Corporation, an organisation established to assist the development of the small business sector by providing small business owners with technical business advice and financial support. For more information, visit the National Training Board’s website at www.ntb.bm

Learning opportunities await you at the National Training Board