Washington, DC, October 17, 2007— As the global economy rapidly changes and new technologies are introduced, more highly skilled workers are required. In the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS), firms struggle to fill skilled positions for lack of qualified candidates, while the number of un¬employed low skilled workers is growing. This paradox especially affects youth. Even during recent economic booms, youth unemployment has remained high, indicating a mismatch between skills acquired in school and the critical skills demanded by the labor market. There is a clear need for more relevant education and training to prepare young people for the demands of work. School and work. Does the Eastern Caribbean Education System Adequately Prepare Youth for the Global Economy? reviews current education and skills training options in the OECS and asks whether all youth in the region become adequately skilled for today’s global world of work. An important objective of the report is to stimulate debate and offer concrete suggestions that could contribute to wider reform of the education system, taking into consideration the latest education and training policies in the region. Main Findings of the report
The economic transformation of the Eastern Caribbean increases the demand for skills, which creates both great opportunities and risks. Since 1980, services have been the most important source of growth in the OECS countries. Private and public services now account for almost four-fifths of the economy. The service sector relies extensively on skilled labor to prosper, pay good salaries and create jobs. Even niche manufacturing and agriculture are changing and now require more skills because of changes in crops, demands for quality improvements, and increased need for management. Already, shortage of skilled workers appears to be severely hindering firm competitiveness in the OECS. Therefore, education and training are essential for job creation, competitiveness, and economic growth. The demand for skills opens doors to qualified workers, but it carries downside risks. Fewer low skilled and manual workers will be sought or needed, and those school leavers with unneeded competencies are more likely to remain unemployed. This could lead to marginalization of such groups which, in turn, could lead to their engagement in deviant behaviors. On the other hand, the increased demand for skills generates great op¬portunities for improving living conditions in the OECS. The new positions are expected to be better remunerated and therefore lead to an improvement in living standards and reduction in poverty. The report argues that the education system is not adequately preparing young people for the new skilled jobs. School leavers often do not possess the skills required for the service jobs in the new global economy. Despite having received up to 11 years of formal education, school leavers often have no diploma or marketable skills. These young people can take an exceptionally long time to find employment. In particular, in this group of school leavers: - Some struggle with daily use of basic skills, such as reading, writing and arithmetic, as indicated by the results of Common Entrance Exams and Caribbean Examination Council (CXC) exams in English and mathematics.
- Many face difficulties demonstrating behavioral life skills that are valued by employers, such as team work, pro-activeness, critical thinking, and communication
- Most have not acquired professional skills linked to a specific career or technical skill in demand, such as Information and Communication Technology (ICT).
- Few will receive labor market training while in the labor force, since research shows that firms are more likely to offer training to highly skilled workers. Those that do receive training are sometimes trained in areas of relatively low demand, such as sewing and cake decoration.
Recommendations
The OECS education system should provide cutting-edge knowledge, teaching, and research to assist the economy to specialize in globally competitive niches. The gap in the OECS between labor market needs and schooling should be bridged. The education sector has to transform to keep pace with the changing economy. The report suggests the following prioritized actions: - Formal education should be more relevant to the needs of the Eastern Caribbean economy.
- Improve governance of education institutions in the Eastern Caribbean by including broader societal representation on their governing boards, and by further empowering the boards.
- Enhance accountability
- Improve the quality of primary and secondary education
- Better nurture behavioral life skills of students
- Many young people will need assistance in transitioning from school to the labor market in particular the governments could scale up youth training programs
- Step up actions to increase job training of the work force
- Foster a regional market for training
- Channel all public funding for training through a single transparent and competitive fund.
- Encourage firms and labor unions to devote more attention to training of workers.
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