Labour Ministry Strengthening Capacity to Assist Jobseekers

The Ministry of Labour and Social Security will be strengthening its capacity to assist jobseekers, employers and the general public to secure employment and access related services through the Electronic Labour Exchange (ELE) Unit.

A total of 1,092 persons have been placed in jobs through the Unit since April 2017.

This was disclosed by Portfolio Minister, Hon. Shahine Robinson, during her contribution to the 2018/19 Sectoral Debate in the House of Representatives on June 26.

Mrs. Robinson noted work now under way to improve the employability of Jamaica’s youth.

“The feedback obtained through the 2017 Labour Market Survey conducted by the Ministry indicated a lack of soft skills among youth entering the labour market. This has encouraged us to conduct employability skill sessions for young persons to prepare them for the world of work,” she said.

A total of 66 such sessions were conducted during the 2017/18 financial year, and the Ministry has committed to staging at least 75 before the current fiscal year ends.

Mrs. Robinson noted that the United States Overseas Employment Programme, which marks its 75th anniversary this year, continues to grow, pointing out that 15,914 Jamaicans were placed in jobs in the United States and Canada during the 2017/18 fiscal year.

Of these persons, 9,366 were deployed to Canada, and 6,548 to the United States, where they were engaged in the agriculture and hospitality sectors.

Notably, 69 women were recruited for the United States agricultural programme and 150 cane cutters were placed in jobs in Florida.

“This relationship represents one of the finest examples of US-Jamaica cooperation. The programme has, over the years, been beneficial to both employers and Jamaicans alike. Through this programme, the social and economic conditions of our Jamaican workers and their families have been significantly enhanced. The country has also benefited significantly from the remittances and through the transfer of knowledge and work ethics,” she said.

Discussions between the Ministry and Dalhousie University in Canada are under way for the training of farmworkers to ensure they are better equipped to work on Canadian farms.

Meanwhile, work continues to improve facilities for farmworkers. In the last financial year, approximately $15 million was spent renovating the dorms and processing facilities at East Street.

This year, the Government has committed to improving the medical and other office areas at the location.