Employment And Training Fund

Individual businesses, business associations, consortiums, training institutions and nonprofit organisations can apply to the fund. The ETF also serves unemployed persons and retrenched workers. However, individuals are not eligible to apply.

It is funded out of the Training Levy that is paid by all employers and employees.

You can access ETF funds in two ways:

Training programmes in accordance with national priorities (Macro Programme)

ETF provides grants to training institutions, employer groups and nonprofit organisations for training projects that don't currently exist but are linked to economic and social development. This programme includes training for self-employed, unemployed and retrenched persons.

Employer training subsidies programme (Micro Programme)

ETF provides grants to employers to do customised, in-house training or institutional training to upgrade their workers' skills. Conditions apply.

Conditions of the Fund are that:

• The proposed training programme must prepare participants for occupations that need labour
• Applicants must provide at least 25% of the total programme cost
• Training must be done in Barbados and be completed within 12-months
• Applicants must have paid all monies due to the Training Levy of the National Insurance scheme

A diverse range of programmes is supported by the ETF including:

• Skills training in the construction industry for artisans
• General management training for small farmers in agriculture
• Upgrading the mechanical maintenance skills of sugar factory workers
• Computer application courses for small business managers
• Information Technology courses for unemployed persons
• Customer relations training for workers in the retail, petroleum products, restaurant, hotel, beer and soft drink industries
• Supervisory training for foremen and small contractors in construction
• Solar photovoltaic systems maintenance
• Geographic/Land Information Systems management
• Training of workers for the hotel industry programmes
• Training for Public Service Vehicle operators

The ETF does not support professional training programmes involving the upgrading of skills of personnel such as doctors, accountants, lawyers and architects. The ETF also does not support programmes in higher education leading to advanced diplomas, degrees etc.

Priorities are determined by labour market demands so training is targeted at high-demand occupations and industries where there are skill shortages:

• Information Technology
• Computer Assisted Design and Manufacturing
• Solar Photovoltaic applications
• Quality Management
• Small Business Management
• Customer Service
• Food and Beverage Control
• Property Maintenance
• Boat Building
• Nursery Care Services
• Care of the Elderly
• Agriculture