Preparing population for economic growth
Published:Monday | April 4, 2011 | 12:00 AM
Anastasia Cunningham, Senior Gleaner Writer
A central feature of the population characteristics which the 2011 census will probe is the education and skills levels of Jamaicans - to what extent is the population geared to meet the human capital requirement of a globally competitive environment?
Business leaders and professionals believe that technological advancement has revolutionised skills training, and unless learning institutions and today's generation redefine their approach, they will be left behind.
One such business leader, Mark Chisholm, vice-president, indivi-dual line operations at Sagicor, said the business world today is faced with new realities.
"Today, there are more sophisticated customers having greater access to information, new economies of scale and scope due to technology, increased business complexity, and more defined customer segments, and a totally new service concepts driven by technology," he said.
To maintain their relevance, he said skills training institutions will have to infuse technology as a significant part of educational delivery and content, and make the shift from 'materials' to 'services and knowledge' base.
"Today's generation needs to become a hybrid worker. The 'techno-manic' worker, as we call them, of our age is the one who understands the need to have blended skills, the ability to master technology, people and hands-on skills as is necessary. This is driven by the continual emerging diffe-rences defined by varying market segments," said Chisholm.
service-oriented job
Global trends suggest that there has been a significant shift from industrial economies to network economies. A recent survey in the United States revealed that approximately 70 per cent of all new jobs created are service-oriented, defined by technological advancement.
Chisholm, who also lectures on marketing and strategic planning at the Mona School of Business, said the most recent 'buzz job' or craze in the Jamaican environment are e-marketing specialists and social-media managers. These jobs are designed and defined by 'pro-sumers', the advanced consumers. He said, effectively, they have become co-creators of not just new products, but new jobs.
The Jamaican Government has also decided that a revision of the school curriculum to teach subjects that will churn out students prepared for the work world is important.
Senator Warren Newby, parliamentary secretary in the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture (MYSC), said an entrepreneurship policy for schools is currently before Cabinet for approval.
"Under the theme 'Building a Culture of Enterprise', the youth entrepreneurship policy is seeking to have young people understand risk, innovation, thrift, how to create opportunities through the venture-capital fund and through incubators for youth businesses. It will encompass some aspects that will be taught in the classroom and some that will be external. They will look at possibly including entrepreneurship as a subject area, as well as integrating it into other subject areas. What we want to do is integrate into their learning process entrepreneurship, which involves innovation, appreciation of risk," Newby told The Gleaner.
viable option
Florette Blackwood, senior director for youth, sports and community development in the MYSC, added: "We are introducing entrepreneurship as a viable career option the same way you choose to be a lawyer or doctor. We want to see a change in the culture, and this is where it starts. Economic power is political power, and here you have the majority of people in Jamaica who do not have the political power because they do not have the economic power, and it is time that we begin to look at our population, our young people, and put them on the path for the economic power to have political power."
What is also an issue affecting the country's economic growth is the brain drain of professionals who are constantly taking up job offers overseas. Many believe unless something is done to address this, it could cripple the country.
"In order to keep our professionals, we have to improve the working conditions and the education sector, offer more attractive remuneration, better opportunities and incentives to set up business, and improve community development. Tax reform is also essential. Jamaica must become a preferred place to work, play, and raise a family," said Chisholm.