Empowering the Caribbean Through World-Class Training
Building Skilled Professionals for a Resilient Future.
The Institute of Technology, Engineering and Management (ITEM) is a premier Caribbean-based training and professional development institute focused on equipping professionals in the fields of engineering, construction, and management with world-class, context-specific knowledge and skills. Founded in 2025, ITEM is a bold response to the growing demand for industry-relevant training that meets international standards while addressing the unique needs of Small Island Developing States (SIDS).
Our Focus Areas
ITEM focuses on engineering, construction, management, and sustainability, equipping professionals with the practical skills and innovative mindset needed to drive development. Through industry-relevant training and professional development, we prepare leaders to build resilient communities and shape a more sustainable future.
Our Vision
To become the Caribbean’s leading institute for professional training in engineering, construction, and management—recognized for excellence, innovation, and contextual relevance.
Our Mission
To deliver high-impact, practice-based training and continuous professional development (CPD) opportunities that elevate the competence and confidence of professionals across the built environment sector in SIDS.
Our Promise
We promise to deliver world-class education and training, fostering innovation and leadership while promoting sustainability and global impact.
Meet The Team
Founder & CEO
Dr. Leighton A Ellis
Dr. Leighton Ellis is a transformational leadership expert, certified life coach, and senior academic with a profound commitment to education and human capital development. With over 20 years of experience spanning engineering, higher education, and leadership training, he offers a unique and integrative perspective on developing people and systems for sustainable growth. Currently, he serves as a senior lecturer at The University of the West Indies, where he teaches courses in construction management, organizational leadership, and professional development. His academic and professional journey bridges the technical rigor of civil engineering with the human-centered focus of leadership, mentorship, and capacity building.
Dr. Ellis is also the founder and principal trainer of the Institute of Technology, Engineering and Management (ITEM), a regional training hub created to equip professionals in the Caribbean and beyond with industry-relevant skills and values-based leadership. His work centers on empowering individuals and institutions to turn challenges into opportunities, especially within Small Island Developing States. As a life coach and educator guided by faith, Dr. Ellis champions holistic development—helping students, professionals, and leaders unlock their God-given potential. His message is clear: education is not just about knowledge, but about transformation. Today, he continues to share powerful insights on how purposeful education, ethical leadership, and intentional investment in people can serve as catalysts for national and global development.
Instructor/Lecturer
Marwan Sufyan
Mr. Marwan Sufyan holds a BSc (Hons) in Civil & Structural Engineering and has been active in the building construction industry since 2008, with professional experience in both Qatar and Sri Lanka. Since 2013, he has specialized in teaching AutoCAD 2D drafting, 3D modeling, and BIM tools, including Revit Architecture, Revit Structure, and MEP drafting.
Instructor/Lecturer
Meeca Sookoo
Meeca Sookoo is a results-driven Project Planner and Civil Engineer with over 18 years of experience leading construction projects across the Caribbean and South America. She holds a BSc in Civil Engineering and an MSc in Construction Management (with distinction), blending deep technical knowledge with strategic execution in planning, scheduling, and project delivery.
Instructor/Lecturer
Fieona Griffiths
Fieona Griffiths, a distinguished Jamaican entrepreneur and an accomplished business leader, holds an MBA and BBA in Finance as her major and a minor in international business with honors from the University of Technology Jamaica.
With over twenty years of senior management experience in multinational corporations, she leads as the owner and managing director of ....
Our Core Values
01
Excellence
Upholding the highest standards in content, delivery, and learner experience.
02
Integrity
Operating with honesty, transparency, and accountability.
03
Relevance
Designing content grounded in the realities of the Caribbean and similar regions.
04
Innovation
Using modern tools and pedagogies for effective learning.
05
Empowerment
Equipping professionals for leadership, performance, and impact.