PHILIPSBURG:--- On September 1st, 2016 the National Institute for Professional Advancement (NIPA) was graced with the new leadership of Dr. Tasheena Maccow-Thomas, who is the new Adjunct Interim director at NIPA. In order to get insight on her plans for this academic school year 2016/2017, she was interviewed and answered the following questions:
How does it feel to be the new Adjunct Interim director of a school that has had a few difficulties in the past?
First of all, I am honored to be selected to be the Adjunct Interim director for NIPA. As an institute, we are not looking back to the past. We are moving forward, with positivity, creativity, and a proper foundation. I have been here from the beginning, so I have insight concerning a lot of the issues that we faced, and ideas on where solutions can be found. It is just the matter of moving forward with strategy, innovation and a positive outlook.
How would you describe the education at NIPA?
All current instructors are fully qualified at the standard that is needed to teach at an SBO level. All courses and fully outlined with the requirement necessary for a student to specialize in their chosen course. With that said, up until now, most of our programs have been accredited by the Ministry of Education Culture Youth and Sports. So to sum it all up, NIPA offers a well-rounded high-quality education.
What can we expect from NIPA for this upcoming school year?
We are working on starting new course starting in January which will be announced at a later date. Besides that, we are looking forward to a successful school year, where the majority of our students following a year one or two programs can receive their diploma at the end of the year.
What are your hopes and goals for the future of NIPA?
I hope to see NIPA as the number one technical adult vocational education Institute on the island. I also hope that the community at large is so pleased with the students coming from NIPA that they receive a job in their respected sector upon completing their education. Finally, I hope that the community at large embraces vocational education and sees the importance of it for the development of our country.
