It is a well-established fact that many students learn best through hands-on activities.

With this in mind, Mount Saint Agnes Academy has teamed up with the Bermuda Technical Training Center to offer practical, hands-on courses in small engine repair and electricity and electronics to interested high school students.

The courses have been taught at MSA on a weekly basis by Michael Stowe, founder and manager at the centre, who brings a great deal of experience, enthusiasm and expertise to the position.

Mr Stowe draws on more than 44 years of technology practitioner experience, instructorship, managing technical training processes and building strategic education and training relationships and alliances.

He was the lead technical officer in the public sector for eight years and developed national training policy, legislation, regulations, a national training organisation and national training apprenticeship and certification systems.

Mr Stowe has a keen interest in helping young Bermudians to develop the knowledge and skills that will enable them to become successful if they decide to choose a career in the trades.

Each technical course provides students with knowledge and theory combined with opportunities to have first-hand experience with disassembly and reassembly of small engines and electrical appliances in order to better understand how they operate.

At the conclusion of each course students write an exam and receive a Certificate of Completion that becomes a valuable addition to their employability portfolio. An important component of the programme is asking students to provide feedback on their learning.

Their comments have been consistently positive and have encouraged MSA to continue offering these courses in the future. One of the students had this to say about Mr Stowe and the programme:

“To say that this was a good learning experience simply is not enough. In the short time that I spent with Mr Stowe I was fortunate to be able to dissect his brain, increasing my knowledge, not only on electricity and electronics but on life itself.

“I enjoyed the small engine repair course because I love working with my hands, it’s much better than sitting and listening to a teacher for 90 minutes. I can’t wait to find out what course Mr Stowe will offer next.”