CXC and Regional Employers Sign Agreement to Align Education with Global Workforce Demands

The Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) and four major regional employer bodies have signed a Partnership Engagement Agreement (PEA), marking a significant milestone in aligning the region’s formal education system with the evolving demands of the global workforce.

The partnership seeks to close persistent gaps between educational output and the readiness of young people for both the modern workforce and their role in society.

Speaking on behalf of the Consortium of Caribbean employer groups, Jamaica Employers’ Federation (JEF) President, Wayne Chen, emphasised that while the signing formalises the long-standing collaboration between the region’s employers and the CXC, the urgency for educational reform has intensified.

“Going back for well over a decade, the Caribbean Examinations Council has reached out to the region’s employers, because there was a concern shared by all that the output of our formal education systems was not ready for the world of work. The imperative has grown stronger over the years, initially sparked by the high rates of youth unemployment and underemployment,” he noted.

Mr. Chen was delivering remarks during the 2026 CXC Ministerial Forum opening ceremony, held at The Jamaica Pegasus hotel in New Kingston on Thursday (March 19).

He maintained that change is even more crucial, as the region’s economic and social systems have revealed significant deficiencies in preparing young people for the future.

The entrepreneur and businessman further highlighted that the rapid development of technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) is the latest reminder of the region’s urgent need to adapt.

“[AI] is just the latest threat to our long-held beliefs in our long-held practices. It reminds us that, not only do we have to collaborate… we have to find ways to adapt even more quickly to the rapidly changing world that we are living in,” Mr. Chen said.

He maintained, however, that the call from the region’s employers extends beyond the demand for better workers, emphasising the holistic development of youth as responsible citizens of society.

“We’re concerned about creating people, citizens, who are not just ready for the world of work but ready for the world of citizenship, of responsible, productive, creative, self-fulfilling, prosperous – whatever superlative you can put to it – citizens,” Mr. Chen stated.

“Because, even before we are employers, we are citizens of these countries… Caribbean people who want our countries to develop in a holistic way,” he added.

Mr. Chen issued a direct charge to regional administrators and policymakers to accelerate their pace in order to match the private sector’s vision for reform.

He cautioned that failure to remain relevant and adaptable could plunge the region into “underdevelopment and despair”.

The signing of the PEA represents a firm commitment to dialogue and partnership, ensuring that Caribbean youth are equipped to lead in an ever evolving global environment.

The four regional umbrella employer bodies partnering with CXC are the Caribbean Employers’ Confederation, the CARICOM Private Sector Organization, the Caribbean Network of Chambers of Industry and Commerce, and the Caribbean Institute for Human Resource Management.