Pupils in Bermuda’s first signature learning programmes feel excited and that the lessons are “authentic”, senators heard yesterday.

Owen Darrell, the junior education minister, said that attitudes were positive after the launch of the schemes at the Berkeley Institute and CedarBridge Academy last month.

He told senators that 289 pupils started programmes on September 12 in health and social care, financial and insurance services, Stem, and trades and professions.

Asked about feedback so far, Mr Darrell said that friends in the education system told him that “they are very excited, they see changes in the students that have come in, they’re eager”.

He said: “As for now, the atmosphere and the enthusiasm of the educators, students, parents and stakeholders in the community alike is still very, very positive.”

Mr Darrell told senators: “Young people right now, as I told you, are excited to be in school.

“They feel like the learning that they are doing is actually more connected to their life, as to what’s going on now as well as what is going on in the future, and it feels more authentic; more authentic learning and more meaningful to them.”

He said that the trades and professions programme helped to address concerns about the need for a technical school on the island.

But Mr Darrell added: “It’s important to point out … that the trade school, this version is a contemporary and more modern version of a trade school.

“Trades are not what they used to be, as anybody will tell you.

“My father is a tradesman and listening to his stories from 40 years ago are not what they are now.

“Mechanics often need as many professional and technical skills as they do hands-on skills and this is true for all trades.

“They have been professionalised, hence we may be moving in a different direction of what — and I’ll call his name — the old-school tradesmen like Oliver Darrell tend to recognise and feel comfortable with.”

He added: “Trades education is moving in a different direction but you can rest assured that your water pump will still be able to be fixed.”

Senators heard that a third signature school is expected to open in September next year but that the site for its location was “still under consideration”.