In a landmark achievement for youth development in St. Kitts and Nevis, two 20-year-old nationals, Dillon Simmonds and Rodison Jeffers, are preparing to depart for Germany this month, where they will embark on a three-year dual vocational training programme in electronics engineering. The initiative marks the first such international opportunity under a vision long championed by Prime Minister Dr. Terrance Drew.
Simmonds and Jeffers have each signed employment contracts with reputable German companies located in Sylt and Niebüll. They will train as electronics technicians for energy and building technology while pursuing the prestigious ‘Bachelor Professional’ qualification under Germany’s highly regarded dual education system. This system combines rigorous technical coursework at the Vocational School of the District of Nordfriesland with paid, hands-on experience in their respective companies.
Prime Minister Drew, reflecting on the genesis of the initiative, said, “I went to Germany in 2020, just before COVID, and I did a tour. I was not in government, but I said, if I were to get in government, I would like our people to come to Germany because Germany has the best scientific method… I still believe they have the best method in the world.”
He continued, “In Germany, when you finish school, you are proficient. They have a well-oiled youth workforce because of the system that is well, well, well oiled.”
The two young men were selected through a competitive and comprehensive process facilitated by the Clarence Fitzroy Bryant College (CFBC) and the Advanced Vocational Education Centre (AVEC). Their journey began with a Memorandum of Understanding signed in 2024 between the Government of St. Kitts and Nevis and the Chamber of Crafts Flensburg in Germany. Over the past year, both Simmonds and Jeffers completed intensive German language training, successfully earning a B1 certificate, and participated in a series of preparatory workshops conducted by German experts who visited the Federation.
Their placement represents the first cohort of what is expected to be a long-term, transformative partnership. The programme is designed to build national capacity in high-demand technical fields while also fostering greater cultural exchange and opening new global career pathways for the youth of St. Kitts and Nevis.
Prime Minister Drew has encouraged the pair to seize the opportunity wholeheartedly and serve as ambassadors for other aspiring Kittitian and Nevisian students. “You are not just learning a trade; you are paving the way for others to follow and showing what is possible when vision, hard work, and opportunity align,” he told them.
As they prepare for departure, the Federation celebrates this milestone, with hopes that more students will follow in their footsteps and help establish a new generation of technically skilled leaders.
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