The SLCTVET received the authority to award individuals the Caribbean Vocational Qualification (CVQ) from the Council on Human Social Development (COHSOD) at a COHSOD meeting held in Guyana on May 23 & 24, 2013. This was after the SLCTVET had undergone a rigorous audit by a team from the Caribbean Association of National Training Authorities (CANTA) and the SLCTVET demonstrated its ability to provide the necessary quality assurance to issue the CVQ.

The CVQ is an award that represents the achievement of a set of competencies in an occupation. The qualification allows CARICOM nationals to attain a CARICOM Skills Certificate which would enable them to live and work in the region without the usual work permit requirements.

In addition to the CVQ, the SLCTVET also awards the National Vocational Qualification (NVQ) which is a qualification developed by a territory for certification in a particular occupational area. The NVQ follows the same system and structure and has equal stature as the CVQ as it relates to the movement of people in the region. It should be noted that the Council of Human and Social development (COHSOD) decided in 2007 that Artisans with a Caribbean Vocational Qualification (CVQ) or Artisans who had obtained a National Vocational Qualification (NVQ) after January 2004 in an area for which regional standards were approved should be allowed to move freely.