OVER a million Jamaicans will never realise their true potential, figures management consultant Trevor Hamilton.

His math shows harrowing statistics on the country’s labour force.

“Over 65 per cent are failed by the school system and are also fooled that they must have five or more CSEC subjects to succeed,” he said. “Over 70 per cent of tertiary students graduate without any vocational skills, and over 60 per cent of the labour force is not employable.”

He estimates that less than three per cent of the population is able to speak another language, while over 300,000 persons are deprived of opportunities mainly due to their “excessive political loyalties”.

“A rational HR strategy to give the country economic and social competitiveness is overwhelmingly believed to be the only way to prosperity for all,” he said. “Now more than ever, the powers that be need to ensure that the workforce is prepared and empowered to contribute positively towards nation-building.

“Let me hasten to add that this can only be realised through the process of purposeful alignment.”

Purposeful alignment happens when investments are made in talent management as a means towards achieving a firm’s sustainable competitive advantage.

With globalisation and the consequential competition for resources, markets and harmonised standards of governance, products and services, consultants have to be familiar with best practices in their areas of specialisation, according to Hamilton.

“They also need to know exactly how to make modifications for proper alignment to the socio-economic and cultural dynamics of the environment in which they serve,” he said.

Being bilingual is also essential.

He added: “Consultants need to work with strategic partners from other jurisdictions to get accelerated access to new solutions and knowledge and lessons learned from the application of various strategies to be able to bring accelerated solutions to their clients and avoid pitfalls that others have experienced.”