Antigua’s leading training facility strengthens entrepreneurial and employment opportunities

On 6 acres of farmland surrounded by lush fields and tropical vegetation is the Gilbert Agricultural & Rural Development Center (GARD Center), just 20 minutes away from Saint John, Antigua and Barbuda’s capital. After a two-week assignment with Catalyste+, the employees and the board members at the GARD Center accomplished their primary goal of preparing a 3-to-5 year Strategic Plan.

The GARD Center partnered with Catalyste+ Advisor (CA) Barb Shackel-Hardman through Catalyste+’s Canada-CARICOM Expert Deployment Mechanism (CCEDM) program, which focuses on strengthening and diversifying local economies. Barb, who previously volunteered in the Caribbean region in Dominica and Saint Lucia, offers a professional background in key areas like environmental management, rural development, and strategic planning.

“The GARD Center has built a great reputation for educating and giving people the skills they need to fit well into the workforce. When I talk to some of their clients that have employed the graduates, they want more staff from [the GARD Center] because it has given them the positive attitude, work ethic, and skills they need to be productive in the workforce,” says Barb.

The GARD Center provides vocational training and business advice to help young people gain employable, technical and entrepreneurial skills. Registered under the Companies Act of 1995, the GARD Center is a non-governmental organization endorsed by the Department of Environment of Antigua and Barbuda.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the GARD Center found themselves struggling with financial sustainability, enrolment numbers, and employee morale. In-country, Barb met with the staff for 8-hour days for nearly two weeks to finalize the Center’s Strategic Plan, develop a site plan facility, create new job descriptions, and update their Mission and Vision Statement.

June Jackson, the Executive Director at the GARD Center, was thrilled with the results of partnering with Catalyste+. She highlights a newfound eagerness amongst employees to continue building, particularly in terms of financial stability. They’ve connected with Antigua’s Ministry of Agriculture for agronomic support to plant crops on-site they can sell to the community and continue funding the center.

“We were quite impressed with Barb Hardman. Her agricultural background allowed her to understand the implications of various issues that arose in the planning process. Her personality gelled with ours almost immediately and we were able to accomplish more in a limited time,” said June.

Prior to leaving for Antigua, Barb met with the staff and the Board virtually to get a better understanding of what the GARD Center needed. She praises the structure of a phased assignment as it offers CAs and partners an opportunity to thoroughly discuss goals and objectives in advance to make the best use of the time in-country.

The training provided by the GARD Center has a significant and lifelong impact on their students. Barb recalls meeting the manager of a catering company for a popular airline in the Caribbean who shared that he regularly hires people who have completed training at the GARD Center because of the high quality of training the center provides.

“There’s a phenomenal network that [the GARD Center] has built and the alumni are dedicated to the center and how they’re giving back. It’s really amazing to see how the community supports them because they value what they were able to get through the center,” says Barb.

Although the in-country portion concluded in June 2024, Barb still meets with the GARD Center staff virtually once a month to ensure they are on track to meet their goals. Because of her work with Catalyste+, Barb was invited to speak at the RURAL Women’s Conference in Mayerthorpe, Alberta, on November 5 where she shared stories about her time on assignment.

“All of the [GARD Center] staff are so compassionate and they go above and beyond in their work…they are doing everything they can to keep the center running.”