The St. Ann based York Castle High school is among several secondary institutions that will participate in an engineering diploma pilot project for sixth form students.

City and Guilds, in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, will for the upcoming academic year, offer an engineering qualification to sixth form students at selected schools in a pilot project.

The selected students will be encouraged to pursue the City and Guilds level 3 Diploma in Engineering, alongside Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE) mathematics, physics, and science.

Under an arrangement with the Ministry of Education, examination fees will be paid for students writing the City and Guilds engineering examinations, alongside Cape’s Associate Degree in Industrial Technology.

Chief Education Officer Dr. Grace McLean says the qualification is aimed at helping to meet the critical need for engineering skills and capacity facing the island.

The pilot schools in this first year include York Castle high school, St. George’s College, Jamaica College, Excelsior High school, Wolmer’s Boys school and Mona High school.

Students will challenge exams over the 2-year duration of their sixth form experience.

Upon successful completion of the course, the students will have globally recognized and accepted qualifications that will allow them to pursue either further studies and/or employment.

The City and Guilds level 3 programme of study will give successful candidates access to the designation of engineering technician, via the United Kingdom Council of Engineering.

The achievement of this certification will give Jamaican students the opportunity of global employment under the Dublin accord.

An approved centre, the Institute of Internationally Required Qualifications, will have management oversight of the engineering programme of study in the role of internal verifier.

It will provide tutorial and quality assurance support to ensure good delivery and valid assessments.