Dean of the Faculty of Workforce Development and Continuing Education at the Montego Bay Community College, Mrs. Karen Gayle, addresses a JIS ‘Think Tank’ in Montego Bay on November 7 about employees pursing tertiary education in western Jamaica.
Why More Employees in Western Jamaica Pursuing Tertiary Education
Demand for tertiary education by employees in Western Jamaica according to the JIS is on the increase. Dean of the faculty of Workforce Development and Continuing Education at the Montego Bay Community College, Mrs. Karen Gayle, says there has been a rapid growth in the demand for tertiary education among employees in western Jamaica.
She said the institution has been fulfilling its role as stipulated by the Council of Community Colleges of Jamaica (CCCJ).
Community College, Mrs. Karen Gayle, says there has been a rapid growth in the demand for tertiary education among employees in western Jamaica. Addressing a JIS ‘Think Tank’ in Montego Bay on November 7, Mrs. Gayle said in an effort to satisfy the growing demand, the college has been forced to expand the range of studies it offers in the “evening school division”.
She said her department is reaching out to members of the working world who want to pursue tertiary-level training, and that more than 90 per cent of persons enrolled in the division are members of the workforce.
“The division offers many of the programmes that are offered in the day,” Mrs. Gayle noted.
She said the institution has been fulfilling its role as stipulated by the Council of Community Colleges of Jamaica (CCCJ). “I am pleased with what Montego Bay Community College has been doing in the community, and its impact,” Mrs. Gayle said.
Persons wishing to pursue tertiary-level studies at the institution have the option of doing so in the faculties of Arts and Sciences, Computer and Technical Studies, Business and Hospitality, and Creative Studies.
About the CCCJ
The Council of Community Colleges of Jamaica (CCCJ) is a statutory agency under the Ministry of Education, formed by an Act of Parliament, which was passed in December 2001, to supervise and coordinate the work of Community Colleges in Jamaica.
The Council, which comprises members of the Colleges, representatives from other sectors of the tertiary and secondary education system, as well as members of business and industry, held its first meeting in July 2002, and established business Offices at 24, Trafalgar Road in August of the same year.
At present, there are eight affiliate colleges, five of them being Community Colleges and the other three being multi-disciplinary colleges. The colleges offer programmes from the certificate, diploma, associate and baccalaureate levels as well as a number of continuing education courses.
Additionally the colleges offer professional programmes, franchise programmes and pre-university courses in collaboration with the University of the West Indies, the University of Technology and other universities/colleges. In the pursuance of the twin objectives to supervise and coordinate the work of the Colleges, the CCCJ is mandated to exercise essentially three main functions.
