ST ANN, Jamaica – The North East Region of the HEART TrustNTA presented several students who completed training with the institution with certificates at its annual certification ceremony on Thursday at the Ocho Rios Baptist in St Ann.

Graduates from six training centres- Buff Bay Vocational Training Centre, Port Maria VTC, Beechamville VTC, Runaway Bay HEART Training Institute, Falmouth VTC and Workforce Solutions- received their certificates Thursday. 

Those attending the ceremony represented a larger group of 3,507 people who have been certified in the NE region for the 2011/2012 academic year. 

The institution reported that its intake of trainees grew. According to director principal of the Northern TVET Institute (Falmouth VTC and Runaway Bay Training Institute), Althea Smikle, 10,055 trainees were enrolled for the 2011/2012 year with 5,183 completing training. Three thousand five hundred and seven of these trainees were certified.

Smikle also reported that hundreds of these trainees benefited from “strategic partnerships forged with private sector entities throughout the region.”

These linkages she said provided opportunities for expansion and greater options for trainees in the 2011/2012 academic year.

The institution also reported that it was able to achieve success amidst challenges with infrastructure and in several other areas. Among the successes highlighted at the certification ceremony on Thursday was the region’s self-generated revenue.

The North East Region was able to generate millions in revenue through commercial entities established on each campus in the region for the 2011/2012 academic year. 

Campuses from Portland, St Mary and St Ann were able to generate a total of $22.8 million.

According to Smikle, each campus in the region was given a target to reach as “part of the mission to help students learn in a realistic environment.”

“Through prudent management and the ardent execution of their mandates, leadership teams set about achieving their targets…and they succeeded,” she reported at the region’s certification ceremony held at the Ocho Rios Baptist on Thursday (November 29).

While some campuses did better than others the results were commendable, Smikle said.

The Buff Bay VTC earned $3.18 million, achieving 200 per cent of its target. 

Beechamville VTC also achieved 200 per cent of its target earning $5.6 million.

Falmouth VTC with $5.47 million surpassed its revenue target by 185 per cent, Smikle reported.

Port Maria VTC met its target of $1.8 million.

Although earning more than the other institutions, Runaway Bay Training Institute managed 81 per cent of its target with its $6.7 million revenue.

The NE Region successes for 2011 2012 continued with the upgrading of the Runaway Bay Hotel which was renamed Cardiff Hotel and Spa the director reported.