Short-term courses to address the job skills needed in the post-Covid-19 economy

The University College of the Cayman Islands is offering a series of compressed vocational courses, beginning July 27, to address job skills needed in the post-Covid-19 economy, some of which were revealed in a recent survey by the Cayman Islands Chamber of Commerce.

The mostly introductory courses will be offered over four-weeks and provide training in areas such as computer technology, customer service, QuickBooks, food preparation, electrical installations, plumbing and air-conditioning & refrigeration applications. Such courses are regularly offered as full-semester classes through UCCI’s technical and vocational education and training program.

Fenslie Smith, interim director of TVET, said the courses have never been offered in a shortened time frame before. And, he added, full scholarships covering the cost of the course are being offered to qualified Caymanians thanks to a donation of CI$51,260 from R3 Cayman Foundation, a non-profit foundation that formed in May to address the COVID-19 crisis and its recovery. The non-profit is focused on readiness, relief and recovery and has announced an initial series of grants in the areas of relief, education, reskilling and summer camps for children.

Stacy McAfee, UCCI’s president & CEO, commented “We are excited to be working with R3, and share the foundation’s same vision in rebuilding the Cayman community through retraining opportunities that enable Caymanians to earn the required qualifications and training to take advantage of the growing local demand for jobs that are based on a technical and vocational education. These courses not only show UCCI’s dedication to meeting the local economy’s needs but also UCCI’s ability to quickly adjust its course offerings.”

Courses and the skills students will learn:

Food Preparation

• Professional food preparation standards
• Skills in using knives and other kitchen tools
• Safe operation of kitchen equipment
• Food production 

Electrical Installation

• Safety standards
• Tool use
• Use of the National Electrical Code as a resource
• Layout installations and power distributions circuits
• Proper grounding

Computer Technician

• Computer internal components and assembly
• Operating systems installation
• Share resources using the internet
• Course delivery powered by Cisco NetAcad platform

QuickBooks

• Create and send invoices and sales receipts
• Track expenses and income
• Manage your Account Receivable and Accounts Payable

Computer Application

• Produce professional-looking documents through Microsoft Word
• Design and create professional spreadsheets through Microsoft Excel

Customer Service

• Effective service techniques to customer-facing problems
• The benefits of providing great customer service
• Develop a customer-friendly approach that is right for any business

Plumbing Application

• Modern-day plumbing process and its various functions
• Water supply component
• Install fixture overflow

Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration

• Installing the components of commercial and residential refrigeration and air-conditioning systems.

Sign up for these courses at UCCI’s registration drive July 22-27 from 10 am – 5 pm on the UCCI campus.  Passport & health insurance card will be required to get registered. Qualified Caymanians can apply for local scholarships.

Classes start July 27 and end on August 21. Interested persons are asked to contact our admissions team at Admissions@ucci.edu.ky or call +1 (345) 623 8224 for additional information.

About R3

R3 Cayman Foundation is a private sector-led, charitable organisation focused on disaster Readiness, Relief and Recovery in the Cayman Islands. Our mission is to help our three islands proactively prepare for, resiliently cope with and sustainably recover from manmade or natural emergencies and disasters. Established in 2020, our support enables community partners to maximise their positive impact in our community. To learn more and see our work in action, please visit www.r3foundation.ky.