Three Humber Faculty of Applied Sciences and Technology members travelled to Bhutan with the International Development Institute for the Bhutan Education and Skills Training (BEST) project from February to March 2025. Ian Maclachlan, Professor and Program Coordinator, HVAC Technician and Technology, Donna Zarudny, Horticulture Apprentice Instructor, and Craig Trineer, Electrical Apprenticeship Program Coordinator, designed training materials, demonstrations, and hands-on learning activities for trainers at three different technical and vocational education and training (TVET) institutes.

Each FAST member shared best practices, curriculum training, pedagogical methodologies, and strategies from their field of expertise, including Solar PV, HVAC, Electrical Engineering, and Landscaping Technician. They worked closely with Bhutanese trainers to adapt the teaching material to the cultural context and equip students at the Bhutanese TVET institutions with the skills, knowledge, and expertise in these areas for employment and self-employment opportunities.

Craig Trineer shared, "For anybody who gets into education, especially if they're leaving a field they've risen up to a certain level in, they get into it because they want to give back what was given to them. They want to create opportunities for people and desire to give a little bit more, a little bit better than what they have to try and make things better, and it's a powerful force, motivationally speaking.

It's especially powerful when you're in a mentoring environment like the electrical trade. The lessons we tend to teach are hard, and the sense that you can make a positive difference in somebody's life is really rewarding. I knew they were launching these new programs in Bhutan, and I hoped I could put extra energy into their delivery for the sake of the instructors, the students, and, inevitably, the whole society. You're hoping to make a positive and lasting contribution."

This trip emphasizes collaboration to create meaningful change in education, fostering innovation, enhancing efficiency, and equipping learners with the skills needed to advance economic and social progress.

For more details about their trip, read the Humber Today article.

Learn more about the BEST project.

Interviews from Ian Maclachlan and Donna Zarudny's time in Bhutan will be released in June 2025.

To get involved in the BEST project, contact Vidushi Sanghadia, BEST Project Lead, at vidushi.sanghadia@humber.ca.