Earlier today, Senator Professor Emeritus Prakash Persad, Minister of Tertiary Education and Skills Training, joined Permanent Secretary Rhoda A. Patiram for a strategic meeting with representatives from UWI, COSTAATT, USC, the Nursing Council and the Ministry of Health. The discussion centered on advancing the MTEST Ecosystem Dashboard, a tool designed to synchronize higher education outputs with the country’s workforce demands.
By selecting nursing as a pilot project, the parties aim to map out current shortages and refine specialised training pathways. The dashboard will provide real‑time data to help institutions adjust curricula and ensure graduates possess the competencies required on the ground.
Beyond formal qualifications, the initiative stresses practical skill development. It seeks to forge stronger partnerships between academia, professional bodies and health services, ensuring that training programs are directly aligned with clinical needs.
With a data‑driven approach, MTEST intends to build a more responsive, skilled and sustainable nursing workforce. The collaboration signals a commitment to closing gaps in the health sector and preparing professionals who can meet Trinidad and Tobago’s evolving healthcare challenges.