Workforce Education & Development in Jamaica

1. Workforce Education & Development in Jamaica Tabitha Service, Ph.D. Candidate, Diane Spokus, Ph.D. Candidate The Department of Learning & Performance Systems, The Pennsylvania State University Physical Environment Formal Private Sector Economic Development • Economic Development • Jamaican economy heavily dependent on services, 70% of GDP • In 1980s Jamaican economy primarily agricultural • Foreign exchange from tourism, remittances, bauxite/alumina • 911 Terrorist attacks in the U.S. stunted economic growth • 2003 rebound of tourism • Informal Private Sector • 48% of labor force • Agriculture or community, social and personal services • Subsistence farmers, street vendors, household helpers, informal importers, hairdressers, dressmakers, gardeners, etc. • Goods Producing • Mining • Agriculture • Manufacturing • Construction • Services • Other-Transport, communication, distributive trade and financial services • Represented by the Private Sector Organization of Jamaica (PSOJ) • Geography • 143 miles long, 51 miles wide, 4,244 square miles • 555 miles of coastline • 3 counties, 14 parishes • Average temperature 80 degrees • Independent since 1962 • Cities • Capital—Kingston metro area (pop. 628,000) • Other large cities—Montego Bay (96,500) • Spanish Town (122,700) Government • Parliamentary system of government patterned after Great Britain; Prime Minister • Human Capital: • Population 2.6 million (July 2001) • Since 1990s there has been a significant increase in the output of trained personnel from Jamaica’s training and education institution • Shows 315% increase in skilled & semi-skilled manpower • 135% increase in technical, managerial and related manpower • 17% of Jamaica unemployed received training – an increase from earlier years • NATIONAL TRAINING AGENCY • Trains approximately 50,000 people annually • School Leavers Training Opportunities Programme (S.L.T.O.P.s) • Women’s Constructive Collective Civilian Labor Force • Stable population (2000): 2.65 million with annual growth rate (2000): 0.6% • April of 2005 labor force comprised of 1,193,300 individuals or 36% of the population • Unemployment rate is 12.2% • Workforce: Agriculture 21%, Industry 19%, Services 60% (1998) • Since the 90s higher “skills” are more in demand than lower skills and unskilled • Flight of Human Capital in ages >25 • Immigration • Historically, Jamaican emigration has been heavy. Since 1967, about 20,000 Jamaicans migrate to the United States each year; another 200,000 visit annually. At present there are approximately 478,000 Jamaicans living in U.S. • Relaxed immigration policies in U.S. & the labor demand • There are an estimated 2.5 Jamaicans living in other countries • New York, Miami, Chicago, and Hartford are among the U.S. Cities with a significant Jamaican population. • Remittances from expatriate communities in the U.S., United Kingdom, and Canada, estimated at up to $800 million per year, make increasingly significant contributions to Jamaica’s economy. • Emigration • 28% or 715,000 persons are between age 15 – 29 • Rapid decline in population after age 25; alternatively a large population of expatriots > age 60 migrate back to Jamaica after years abroad Problems in the Formal Economy • Economy faces serious long-term problems: • high interest rates; increased foreign competition • pressurized, sliding exchange rate; sizable merchandise trade deficit • large-scale unemployment, internal debt Social Capital • Poverty • Jamaica is characterized as a middle-income country • Per capita GDP is U.S. $1,293/yr. • Total expenditure among poorest quintile is JA $10,510 (U.S. $314) • Second poorest quintile is JA $17,480 (U.S. $522) • Median income is JA $34,975 (U.S. $1,049) • Social • Disruption is characterized by high level of violence, industrialization disputes and civil disturbances • In 90s increase in white-collar crime in financial institutions & custom regulations • In economic terms the high crime rate is deterrent to high investment Education • Inherited a British educational model • Different types of schools aimed at different segments of population Types of Schools • All age schools: basic education provided for children up to age 15 • Primary schools: up to age 12 • Secondary schools (remedial and vocational education) • Traditional High School • Comprehensive high schools and technical high school • Prep schools account for only 4% • 3 universities, 7 teacher colleges, 6 community colleges • Common entrance examination offered at grade 5 • HEART/NTA is the government body responsible for the vocational training system in Jamaica