Twenty+ Turks Islanders will become the country’s first endorsed and regionally-recognised flats-fishing guides and Train-The-Trainers under the new partnership — part of a programme designed to secure a local stake in the Caribbean’s multi-million-dollar sport-fishing economy.

PROVIDENCIALES — Twenty+ young Turks Islanders are about to become the country’s first nationally-certified flats-fishing guides and instructors. Their training — and the industry it anchors — began this week with the signing of a landmark partnership agreement.

On Wednesday, the Turks and Caicos Fly Fishing Association (TCFFA) and the Turks and Caicos Islands Community College (TCICC) signed a Memorandum of Understanding to deliver the country’s first endorsed and regionally-recognised Sustainable Fly Fishing curriculum. The programme is funded by the UK Government through the Darwin Plus Local initiative, delivered through TCICC’s Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Blue Economy programme, and built on a proven Bahamian model developed with the Bahamas Fly Fishing Industry Association.

The first cohort will certify Twenty+ Turks Islanders as Flats-Fishing Guides and Train-The-Trainers — drawn from Providenciales, North Caicos, South Caicos, Middle Caicos and Grand Turk, and supported by Invest Turks and Caicos Islands through its MSME Programme’s Technical Assistance.

The stakes are not theoretical. Next door in the Bahamas, recreational fisheries contribute over US $500 million annually to the national economy and employ more than 18,000 Bahamians (FAO, 2016). The flats fishing sector alone generates approximately US $169 million a year, supported by more than 250 certified guides and the equivalent of 7,800 full-time jobs across lodging, meals, transport and retail (Fedler, 2019, Bonefish & Tarpon Trust). Guided anglers spend roughly three times more per trip than other visitors, and more than 90 percent say they would not travel to the destination if the fishery were unavailable.

Turks and Caicos has the same flats, the same bonefish, and one small but meaningful edge of its own: waters that run a touch warmer through the winter months, when cold fronts can slow fishing elsewhere in the Caribbean. With this MOU in place, the country now has the institutional foundation to match.

For TCFFA, the programme is more than a training initiative. It is a monumental milestone in building livelihoods around nature and nature-guiding — an approach the Association considers the way forward for Turks and Caicos tourism. It is a direct expression of the country’s own national promise: Beautiful by Nature.

“This MOU is more than a document. It is the foundation of a national industry. For the first time, Turks Islander fly fishing guides have an endorsed and regionally-recognised, locally-delivered pathway into a profession that has long been built on their knowledge but not always on their terms. We are building an industry where the value of our flats stays with our people.”

— Levardo Talbot, President, Turks and Caicos Fly Fishing Association

The programme has been formally endorsed by senior education, tourism and government leaders, who underscore its national significance:

“This partnership represents the future of education in action. At TCICC, we are intentional about designing programmes that are not only academically sound but also economically relevant and globally competitive. Through this Sustainable Fly Fishing curriculum, we are transforming indigenous knowledge into a structured, internationally recognised profession. This is how we build capacity, create opportunity, and ensure that Turks and Caicos Islanders are not just participants in our tourism economy, but leaders within it.”

— Dr. Candice Williams, President & CEO, Turks and Caicos Islands Community College

“This initiative exemplifies the kind of forward-thinking, industry-aligned education that we are committed to advancing across the Turks and Caicos Islands. It reflects our national priority to equip our people with skills that are both relevant and transformative. By embedding certification, sustainability, and entrepreneurship into this programme, we are empowering our young people to access new pathways for meaningful employment and to contribute to sectors that are critical to our economic future. This is education with purpose, and education that delivers impact.”

— Hon. Rachel Taylor, Minister of Education

“This partnership signals a defining moment in the evolution of our tourism product. Sustainable fly fishing represents a high-value, low-impact niche that aligns seamlessly with the Turks and Caicos Islands brand and our broader vision for sustainable tourism development.

By investing in the certification and development of local guides, we are not only strengthening the authenticity of our tourism offering, but also creating a new entrepreneurial pathway for Turks and Caicos Islanders within the blue economy. This initiative ensures that more of the economic benefits generated from this growing global market are retained within our communities while empowering Islanders to build businesses around their knowledge, skills, and natural environment.

At the same time, this partnership positions the Turks and Caicos Islands to compete in a lucrative international niche while safeguarding the very natural assets that make our destination unique.”

— Hon. Zhavargo Jolly, Minister of Tourism, Environment, Fisheries and Marine Affairs

ENDORSEMENTS AND SUPPORTERS

Government of the Turks and Caicos Islands. The Hon. Rachel Taylor, Minister of Education; The Hon. Zhavargo Jolly, Minister of Tourism, Environment, Fisheries and Marine Affairs; the Department of Tourism Regulations; the Department of Fisheries and Marine Resources Management; the Department of Environment and Coastal Resources; and the Department of Maritime and Shipping.

National industry and investment partners. Turks and Caicos Islands Community College (TCICC/TVET); Invest Turks and Caicos Islands; Experience Turks and Caicos; and the Bahamas Fly Fishing Industry Association.

National and international conservation partners. The Bahamas Fly Fishing Association, The Turks and Caicos National Trust; the Turks and Caicos Reef Fund; the Environmental Defense Fund; the Marine Conservation Society; the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds; and BirdsCaribbean.

PHOTO CAPTIONS:

HEADER – Members of the Turks and Caicos Fly Fishing Association Ltd. (TCFFA) following the official Memorandum of Understanding signing ceremony with the Turks and Caicos Islands Community College (TCICC).

INSERT – Dr. Candice Williams, President and CEO of TCICC, and Mr. Lavardo Talbot, President of TCFFA, during the official signing of the Memorandum of Understanding between the two organisations.

Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands – 7 May 2026 – The Turks and Caicos Islands Community College (TCICC) has achieved ISO 9001:2015 Certification, marking a defining and historic milestone for both the institution and the nation.

TCICC is now the first organisation in the Turks and Caicos Islands to be certified to this internationally recognised Quality Management System (QMS) standard. While three other organisations within the country hold ISO certifications in different standards, TCICC stands as the first and only organisation to achieve ISO 9001:2015 certification, the global benchmark for quality management and continuous improvement.

This achievement positions TCICC not only as a national leader, but as a forward-thinking institution deliberately building a future grounded in excellence, accountability, and global relevance.

A Defining Moment in Institutional and National Transformation

ISO 9001:2015 certification affirms that TCICC operates with structured, measurable, and continuously improving systems that ensure the consistent delivery of high-quality academic and administrative services.

This milestone is the result of a rigorous, institution-wide transformation that has strengthened:

• Consistency and quality of academic and administrative services
• Student and stakeholder satisfaction
• Operational efficiency and transparency
• Risk management and compliance frameworks
• Evidence-based, data-driven decision-making

More than a certification, this achievement reflects a disciplined commitment to excellence and reinforces TCICC’s role as a catalyst for human capital development and national progress.

Excellence in Execution: An Institution-Wide Achievement

The certification was led by the College’s Quality Assurance Unit under the leadership of Mrs. Venessa Buchanan-Williams, whose strategic direction and disciplined execution were instrumental in achieving this milestone.

Supported by a cross-functional team of process owners across all divisions, the initiative represented a truly institution-wide effort. From academic affairs to student services, human resources, finance, IT, marketing, and operations, every unit contributed to embedding a culture of quality, accountability, and continuous improvement.

Mrs. Buchanan-Williams, Quality Assurance Manager and Project Lead, stated:

“ISO 9001:2015 required more than documentation. It required transformation. It challenged us to examine how we work, how we serve, and how we improve. What we have built is not a system for certification, but a system for sustained excellence.”

Leadership Perspective: Excellence by Design

Dr. Candice Williams, President and Chief Executive Officer of TCICC, described the achievement as a transformational milestone:

“This is not simply the attainment of a certification. It is the institutionalisation of excellence. At TCICC, we have made a deliberate decision that quality will not be incidental; it will be engineered, measured, and continuously improved. Achieving ISO 9001:2015 certification signals to our students, partners, and the nation that TCICC is operating at internationally recognised standards, while remaining deeply committed to national development. As we advance our vision of becoming the first choice for education and training in the Turks and Caicos Islands and beyond, this milestone ensures that our foundation is not only strong, but globally competitive.”

Governance Commitment to Quality and Accountability

Chair of the TCICC Board of Governors, Mrs. Sheba Wilson, highlighted the governance perspective:

“The Board remains committed to ensuring that TCICC operates with the highest levels of accountability, transparency, and excellence. Achieving ISO 9001:2015 certification as the first organisation in the Turks and Caicos Islands to do so is a clear demonstration that the College is not only meeting expectations, but setting new benchmarks for institutional quality within the region.”

National Recognition and Government Endorsement

The Honourable Rachel Marshall Taylor, Minister of Education, Youth, Sports and Culture, commended the College:

“This achievement represents a significant step forward for the Turks and Caicos Islands. TCICC has demonstrated that our national institutions can operate at the highest international standards. As the first organisation in the country to achieve ISO 9001:2015 certification, the College is setting a powerful precedent for quality, accountability, and excellence across all sectors. This milestone strengthens confidence in our education system and underscores TCICC’s vital role in developing the human capital needed to drive national growth and competitiveness.”

Embedding a Culture of Continuous Improvement

ISO 9001:2015 is not an endpoint; it is a framework for sustained excellence. Through its Quality Management System, TCICC will continue to:

• Conduct structured internal audits and management reviews
• Proactively identify and mitigate risks
• Enhance stakeholder satisfaction through responsive service delivery
• Strengthen governance and accountability mechanisms
• Drive innovation in teaching, learning, and institutional operations

This ensures the College remains agile, responsive, and future-ready in an evolving global education landscape.

Positioning TCICC for the Future

As the first organisation in the Turks and Caicos Islands to achieve ISO 9001:2015 certification, TCICC is strategically positioned to:

• Expand regional and international partnerships
• Increase student enrolment and stakeholder confidence
• Enhance global competitiveness
• Lead national dialogue on quality assurance and institutional excellence

This milestone demonstrates that TCICC is actively shaping the future of education and institutional excellence in the Turks and Caicos Islands and beyond.

Providenciales/Grand Turk, Turks and Caicos Islands; Thursday, March 26, 2026 – The Turks and Caicos Islands Community College (TCICC) welcomed prospective students, teachers, and community partners to their immersive Open Day events on Tuesday, March 24 (Providenciales campus), and Thursday, March 26 (Grand Turk campus). The campus‑wide events invited primary school pupils and secondary students from Form Three upwards to explore college life, academic offerings, and career pathways across TCICC’s faculties.

Attendees toured interactive exhibits, met staff and current students, and engaged with industry partners showcasing practical career opportunities. TCICC highlighted programmes across Technical and Vocational Education (T‑VET), Tourism and Hospitality, Business, Natural and Applied Sciences, Humanities and Social Sciences, Education, and Continuing Education and Microcredentials (CEM).

“Open Day is more than an introduction to courses; it’s an invitation to imagine your future,” said Dr Candice Williams, President and CEO of TCICC. “Be bold in your exploration; ask the hard questions so you are fully aware.” She went on to add that “TCICC is continually evolving and deepening partnerships with industry and community groups so that our graduates are prepared for meaningful careers and civic leadership. ” Dr Williams wanted the youths to be intentional with their lives, their education, and their careers: “The choices you make today will shape the opportunities you claim tomorrow.”

A key feature of this year’s Open Day was active participation from the Turks and Caicos Islands Financial Services Commission (FSC). The FSC exhibited at both campuses to highlight career opportunities in financial services and to explain how regulatory, compliance, and professional roles support national economic resilience.

In Providenciales, Wisland Quashie, Deputy Director of Human Resources, and Sheena Smith Yip, Senior HR Manager, spoke to students and educators about pathways into the FSC, covering internships, recruitment opportunities, and the importance of technical skills, ethical practice, and continuous professional development. In Grand Turk, Dileecia Taylor, Human Resources Officer, and Zonelle Hamilton, Administrative Assistant, spoke to members of the community while representing the FSC.

Kenisha Bacchus, Managing Director (Ag) of the FSC, commended TCICC’s community‑focused approach. “TCICC’s Open Day sends a clear message: education here is practical, accessible, and directly linked to real job prospects,” she said. “By engaging now, young people will be better placed to lead our islands’ future growth. The FSC is committed to working with TCICC to build transparent career pathways in financial services, where curiosity is turned into capability.”

The TCICC Open Day blended academic showcases with career‑focused presentations from private and public sector partners, reinforcing TCICC’s community engagement mission. Industry exhibitors provided hands‑on demonstrations and guidance on internships and apprenticeships, drawing clear connections from classroom learning to employment. Representatives reiterated that TCICC remains ‘your first choice and only choice for higher education in the TCI, underscoring the college’s central role in workforce development.

For more information on programmes, events, and application procedures, visit www.tcicc.edu.tc or contact the admissions office at admissions@tcicc.edu.tc.