Minister Morris Dixon Identifies “Urgent Need” for Investment In Jamaica’s Workforce

There is an “urgent need” to invest in Jamaica’s workforce, says Minister without Portfolio in the Office of the Prime Minister with oversight for Skills and Digital Transformation, Senator Dr. the Hon. Dana Morris Dixon.

Speaking during the Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica (PSOJ) Business Forum at The Jamaica Pegasus hotel in New Kingston on Tuesday (July 18), Senator Morris Dixon said the country’s most valuable asset is its people.

She pointed out that deficiencies in numeracy and literacy, COVID-19 learning loss, unemployment and underemployment, and compression of the workforce caused by the migration of skilled people, a declining birth rate and early deaths due to non-communicable diseases are among the issues affecting Jamaica’s human capital.

“We must invest in their education, training and well-being. We must create an enabling environment that nurtures talent, fosters innovation and encourages entrepreneurship,” the Minister said.

Senator Morris Dixon noted that in 2020, Jamaica scored 0.53 out of one on the Human Capital Index.

This means that a child born in Jamaica today will be 53 per cent as productive as they could be when they grow up if they achieve complete education and full health.

“This is lower than the average for the Latin America and Caribbean region and also it’s lower than where they categorise us as upper middle-income countries. This says that we’re tapping only a fraction of the potential in our people,” the Minister explained.

She added that Jamaica’s workforce must be equipped with the right skills, and the concepts of upskilling and reskilling must be demystified.

“As we see AI (artificial intelligence) and all of the new technology that is coming into that sector (business process outsourcing), it is going to be important that we figure out a way to work with those who are in the industry before the displacement comes, so that they are ready for the next set of jobs up the value chain,” Senator Morris Dixon said.

In her remarks, PSOJ Executive Director, Imega Breese McNab, said the organisation is committed to developing Jamaica’s labour force, noting that human capital development forms part of the entity’s strategic focus.

“We firmly believe that investing in our people’s development is essential for our nation’s growth and success. We recognise the economic benefits that investing in human capital brings. A well-developed and skilled labour force drives productivity, fuels innovation and enhances competitiveness. This will,, ultimately lead to driving the country’s economic growth and attracting local and foreign investment,” Mrs. Breese McNab said.

She pointed out that the PSOJ continues to engage the Ministry of Education and Youth, HEART/NSTA Trust and the Education Transformation Oversight Committee to review and implement the Patterson Report on Education Transformation.

“We must get the foundation right and promote TVET [technical and vocational education and training] education as a pathway for wealth creation throughout our entire education ecosystem,” Mrs. Breese McNab remarked.

The forum was held under the theme ‘Unleashing Jamaica’s Human Capital: Preparing for the Future’.