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UVI's continuing-education arm outlines aviation testing, appraiser and culinary training plans
Summary
The University of the Virgin Islands Center for Excellence in Leadership and Learning (UVI Cell) told the Senate committee it runs continuing-education, career-technical and testing services, and is launching certified real-estate appraiser and surveyor technician programs while expanding FAA testing capacity and culinary partnerships.
Dr. Suzanne Darrow McGrath, director of the University of the Virgin Islands Center for Excellence in Leadership and Learning (UVI Cell), told the Senate committee on March 7 that UVI Cell provides continuing education, workforce certificates, community engagement and enterprise programs across the three islands.
UVI Cell said it serves about 2,000 customers a year through in-person and online offerings and is accredited for continuing education and training. Dr. Darrow McGrath described partnerships with the Department of Labor to deliver WIOA-aligned industry certificates (for example, renewable energy specialist and clinical medical assistant) and an Adult Education and Family Literacy Act grant supporting GED, ESL and citizenship coursework.
New and returning programs: UVI Cell is accepting registrations for a certified residential real-estate appraiser course that starts March 12 and prepares candidates for the VI certified residential appraiser exam. A surveyor technician certificate is under development with a stateside partner and fieldwork components; program recruitment is expected in April 2025. UVI Cell also described plans to operate FAA-approved test centers for pilot and drone exams on St. Thomas and St. Croix, with a St. John center in progress. "Our FAA approved test centers on Saint Thomas and Saint Croix will come online in March," Darrow McGrath said.
The center discussed hospitality and culinary initiatives: an American Culinary Federation fundamentals cook program with experiential learning in a UVI restaurant on St. Thomas, a Diageo-sponsored bartending "skills for life" program on all three islands, and plans to allow culinary students to earn college credit through a degree pathway with UVI hospitality and tourism management.
UVI Cell also highlighted workforce supports tied to other agencies: partnerships with the Bureau of Corrections on reentry education and with the veterans'office offering free tuition for veterans; involvement in a taxi-and-tour certificate program coordinated with the Virgin Islands Taxicab Commission and Department of Tourism; and small-business support through the EDA University Center and SBDC collaboration.
Darrow McGrath said UVI Cell will offer assessment and certification testing (Prometric, PSI and other proctored exams) locally to reduce travel for candidates. She highlighted community investments such as a new Saint John Community Resource and Development Center and a continuing focus on adult education, workforce preparation and public-sector leadership training.
Lawmakers flagged three operational priorities: ensuring UVI Cell has funding for high-cost credentials, clarifying how many residents benefit from each program, and coordinating with the new VI Technical College and Department of Education to avoid duplication and create credit-bearing pathways. Darrow McGrath said UVI Cell is actively seeking partners and is prepared to scale programs if funding and eligible providers are available.
