IBTE emerged in 2014 as a result of a merger between the Department of Technical Education of MoE and seven technical and vocational schools across the country, a move which catered to the changing social and economic needs of Brunei.
Under IBTE, the seven schools are categorised into two: IBTE Central and IBTE Satellite, each with its own principal and network of heads and leaders to overlook the schools. As all schools now function under a single umbrella institution, the schools were renamed and consolidated into different campuses, as opposed to standalone institutions.
IBTE’s campuses run various programmes, from energy and engineering to agriculture and business. They are committed to providing a holistic education and offer their students first-hand experience at workplaces alongside traditional classroom les- sons. This format of learning enables students to be trained with both soft and hard skills, preparing them for employment. IBTE has established numerous Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs), seeking partnerships and collaborations with various companies and agencies to provide students with more access to resources.
The Industry Competency Framework (ICF) – for- merly known as Energy Industry Competency Framework (EICF) – is a collaborative effort from IBTE, the Energy and Industry Department at the Prime Minister’s Office (EIDPMO), MoE and the oil and gas industry. The framework seeks to produce more job-ready and competent Bruneians to enter the energy industry, meeting the Brunei Vision 2035 goal of creating well-educated and highly-skilled people.
In addition, more students are able to train and gain first-hand workplace experience at relevant companies and agencies through apprenticeship agreements.
IBTE hopes to become the premier institution in providing highly-skilled manpower by producing employment-ready, entrepreneurial and marketable graduates, stimulating economic growth.
Copyright 2017 Borneo Bulletin Yearbook 2017 All rights reserved.