Students Participate in PIOJ Forum

Approximately 200 students from William Knibb Memorial, Albert Town, and Holland High Schools in Trelawny, have been sensitised by the Planning Institute of Jamaica (PIOJ), on issues relating to the labour market, and the importance of the Geographic Information Systems (GIS), in disaster management and planning initiatives.
The promotion and presentation forum was held at the William Knibb Memorial High School, and saw students actively involved in the presentations and viewing many of the education and information booths.
Teachers from all the participating schools were presented with several copies of the PIOJ’s publications, while students received brochures and gift packages.
Acting Director of the Corporate Affairs, Marketing and Communication Division, Marcia Blake-Hall, told JIS News, that the forum was an annual event that sought to educate the general public about the roles and functions of the PIOJ, as well as promotion of the many publications on vital economic initiatives of the country.
“In our public education programme we have a unit that focusses on the labour market trends, and many students are often interested in what informed career choices they can make, based on the information we pass on to them. The GIS is a new concept, and students need to be aware of the fact, that we can do so many things with the knowledge and information that are available,” Mrs. Blake-Hall told JIS News.
“We also have a number of publications that carry a great volume of facts, researches and findings on all the sectors across the country, and this is done on a calendar basis so this information is current … we would wish for all persons to be aware of these publications and to use them to educate themselves,” she added.
In making his presentation to students, Labour Market Analyst, Maurice Harris, noted that education and training are critical and are responsible for the steady increase in job creation, especially in the service sector.
“Jamaica’s economy was moving towards the requirement of highly skilled and highly educated workers, as there was a link between education and training. If we want to remain relevant in the new labour market, we are going to have to ensure that we get trained, we get certified, and we get educated in order to put ourselves in the best position possible, to take advantage of the opportunities that are being created in the country,” Mr. Harris pointed out to the students.
He stressed that there was urgent need among the work force for greater levels of positive work attitudes, work ethics, self esteem, and responsible attitude, especially from the younger workers, and urged students to prepare themselves well.
Other presentations were made on the Geographic Information Systems (GIS), by Nadine Brown of the PIOJ’s Regional Planning Division.