OECS Skills and Innovation Project - Saint Lucia

For innovation to make a lasting impact, it must connect with opportunity.

That connection was one of the themes explored during discussions with Invest Saint Lucia as part of the HE Innovate assessment innitiated under OECS SKIP Saint Lucia. With a mandate focused on attracting and facilitating investment, the organisation brings a unique vantage point on the conditions that help businesses grow, industries evolve and new opportunities emerge.

The assessment continues to engage voices from across Saint Lucia as it examines how higher education and innovation can contribute to the country's future development.

Innovation is often associated with new ideas, but its success also depends on quality, reliability and trust.

As the HE Innovate assessment continues under the OECS SKIP, engagement with the Saint Lucia Bureau of Standards contributes an important perspective on the systems and practices that help support innovation across sectors. Understanding these foundations is an important part of examining how new products, services and processes can achieve meaningful impact.

Innovation does not exist in isolation. It is influenced by the wider systems, structures and frameworks that shape national development.

The HE Innovate assessment initiated under the OECS Skills and Innovation Project - OECS SKIP Saint Lucia seeks input from a broad range of stakeholders whose perspectives can help build a more complete picture of Saint Lucia's innovation ecosystem. Engagement with the Attorney General's Chambers contributes to this process by adding an important institutional perspective to the ongoing assessment.

Such engagements support the development of evidence-based recommendations that reflect the country's unique context and aspirations.

🚨 NOW RECRUITING! 🚨

Looking for employment opportunities?

The National Skills Development Centre (NSDC) is inviting interested individuals from Castries and Gros Islet to apply for our Job Placement Programme.

🔹 Available Positions:
• Culinary Assistants / Prep Cooks
• Food & Beverage Manager
• Kitchen Porters & Stewards
• Bartenders
• Restaurant Servers
• Hosts & Hostesses
• Restaurant Support Personnel
• Housekeepers
• Maintenance Personnel
• Construction Workers
• Masons
• Carpenters
• Administrative Personnel

📅 Apply by: June 22
📍 Life Skills Training: June 29 – July 10 (Bisee, Castries)
📅 Job Attachment Begins: July 13

✅ Requirement:
Participants must successfully complete the Life Skills / Transversal Skills Programme prior to placement.

📌 Participants are responsible for their personal expenses during training.

Scan the QR code or click the link in our bio to apply today!

Innovation is often best understood through the experiences of those working directly within rapidly evolving industries.

As part of the HE Innovate assessment, stakeholder engagements continue to capture perspectives from across Saint Lucia's innovation landscape. Input from technology-focused organisations such as Orbtronics helps provide insight into the practical realities of innovation, adaptation and problem-solving within the private sector. Co-founder Keegan Patrick sat with team SKIP for a candid discussion on innovation.

By bringing together diverse viewpoints, the HE Innovate assessment aims to develop a more comprehensive understanding of the factors that support innovation and entrepreneurship nationally.

A strong innovation ecosystem depends on the ability of ideas, products and services to create meaningful economic value.

Through the HE Innovate assessment, engagements are being conducted with organisations whose experiences can help illustrate the pathways through which innovation contributes to growth and opportunity. Perspectives from Chief Executive Officer of Export Saint Lucia Sunita Daniel provided valuable context for understanding how innovation can support enterprise development and economic resilience.

These contributions form part of a wider effort to examine the strengths, opportunities and enabling factors that support innovation in Saint Lucia.

Creating an environment where innovation can flourish requires an understanding of the factors that influence business growth, investment and competitiveness.

As the HE Innovate assessment continues in Saint Lucia, perspectives from the St. Lucia Chamber of Commerce Industry & Agriculture contribute to a broader understanding of how higher education and innovation intersect with the needs of the wider economy. Executive Director Brian Louisy met with team SKIP in open dialogue.

Engagements such as these help ensure the assessment reflects the realities of the national landscape and captures insights from organisations that play an important role in shaping the country's future development.

The capacity to innovate is closely linked to the knowledge, skills and capabilities of a country's people.

As stakeholder consultations continue under the HE Innovate assessment, perspectives from the National Skills Development Centre contribute to a deeper understanding of the role human capital development plays in fostering innovation and supporting economic transformation.

By engaging organisations across multiple sectors, the assessment seeks to identify opportunities to strengthen the connections between education, skills and innovation in Saint Lucia.

Strengthening innovation begins with understanding the environment that supports it.

The HEInnovate Assessment has commenced in Saint Lucia under the OECS Skills and Innovation Project (OECS SKIP), providing an opportunity to examine the policies, partnerships, practices and support systems that contribute to innovation and entrepreneurship.

HEInnovate is an internationally recognised framework developed by the OECD and European Commission to help identify strengths, opportunities and areas for growth in innovation capacity. The assessment explores themes such as leadership, teaching and learning, digital transformation, collaboration and institutional impact, while encouraging dialogue among key stakeholders.

As part of the process, discussions have begun with officials from the Sir Arthur Lewis Community College (SALCC), the Ministry of Education and other stakeholders. These engagements will help inform a better understanding of Saint Lucia's innovation landscape and identify opportunities to strengthen the conditions that enable innovation to flourish.