Ed Forbes,

Concerned citizen of Grand Turk 

In an emerging market and a rapid changing environment like the Turks and Caicos Islands, selecting and preparing our students for future jobs is a critical step in nation building.

As the country grows and develops, some jobs will be threatened by redundancy, whilst others will grow rapidly. We have seen it with the outsourcing of our tourism sector. If the right investments were made in our people within that department, despite the changes, it may have resulted in less turnovers.

What have we learned from this?

Whilst the rapid growth holds great promises, it will pose some major challenges requiring proactive adaptation by corporations, governments and individuals if not prepared.

With that being said, preparing and anticipating for current and future transition is therefore critical. The education department and the approving scholarship board will have to stimulate deeper thinking about how government and high level management can navigate these unforeseen changes.

It was refreshing to see the diversity in curriculum with the recent prestigious scholarships awards in TCI. Furthermore, hats off to this administration for moving forward with advancing the TCICC with the NCCER’s seal of approval.

This in itself was an amazing achievement not only for the country, but especially for families with limited disposable income to further their children’s education abroad.

It would also be advantageous for the government, key stakeholders and the education department to work in concert on these programs. This will help to identify some of the greatest needs, desires and qualifications of current jobseekers, versus the demands of up and coming jobs and business opportunities.

As we navigate the challenges of our time in such a changing society, it is crucial to remember that although the government has a responsibility to provide available resources to their citizens, parents also have a role to play.

Government support does not negate parental responsibilities of helping to nurture and plan their children’s future.

Finding effective ways to help bridge the skills gap will also be crucial in charting the country’s future.

Has there ever been a labour market survey or a skill gap analysis conducted? This will help to better link the types of scholarships being awarded for jobs of the future.

Many developed countries are using empirical data in the form of charts and graphs to help determine skills gaps and future needs. These charts can also be used to demonstrate current job placements versus future job growth and opportunities.

As the economy continues to grow and diversify, greater emphasis will also need to be placed on the scholarship approval process. This is in regards to not only catering to the students own areas of interest but what the country really needs in terms of supply and demand.

In order to map a future view of skill demand versus supply, what I believe needs to be done, is a comprehensive analysis to get a more accurate picture of the training and opportunity areas. Using empirical data from the number of outsourced consultancy jobs and medical specialty areas is a good start.

Once this is completed, resources will need to be put in place to up-skill those who are out of work to fill high priority employment gaps through certification programs.

With TCIG  E-government on the horizon, there will be a need for positions such as Data protection analysts, Cybersecurity etc. Furthermore, with FortisTCI plans to embark on solar energy in the twin islands and Salt Cay, this is a huge potential growth area where new jobs are anticipated across the skills spectrum.

Recently, there was a Facebook posting from the TCI RESEMBID Sustainable Energy Project, offering a free Solar class for anyone interested in this field. Albeit, the spaces were limited and advertisement short lived, these are the types of programs that need more exposure and encouragement, along with commitment from potential employers on job security.

As the country continues to move forward, Government annually awarded scholarships is an area that will need to be very selective and closely examined to help eliminate any unconscious biases.

This will enable many bright students from all walks of life to obtain education they may have never had access to otherwise. It’s also a way to attract and retain the best talent for the country.

Despite the fact that the country is steadily progressing, the national economy appears to be lagging in human capital development. This emphasizes the critical importance of developing the economy in tandem with education and human capital development to reap greater benefits.

Therefore, awarding scholarships in the right areas plays a very important role in developing local talent. It will contribute to the improvement of systems, practices, and policies within the work space and supports the wider socio-economic changes.

I’m finding that in certain critical positions, locals haven’t received the same level of investment opportunities impacting their ability to grow and scale the organizations they are helping to lead.

Strengthening the soft skill base of the national labour force will do just that, and will need to be placed on the front burner. This will help to prepare the next generation of leaders, who can bring innovative approaches that will help to transform some outdated systems and practices that currently exist as we know it.

Unfortunately, with the limited job market, it’s often a challenge for returning students to apply their skills and knowledge. It’s a complex situation, but this is where succession planning becomes vital to minimize gaps in leadership positions like we are seeing in our prison and policing departments.

Failure of our leaders to plan strategically, as technology advances and new jobs are created, we will continue to face recruitment challenges and talent shortages. Ultimately, it could lead to an increased reliance on work-permit holders.

We have a dynamic economy but we are training our folks to participate in it?