Senator Ruel Reid, Minister of Education, Youth and Information, says Jamaica is focusing on equipping its workforce to take advantage of the impending vacancies for 20 million supply chain professionals in the United States within the next 10 years.

In achieving this goal, Minister Reid said Jamaica was changing its approach to development from focusing on ‘sectors’ to that of ‘occupational clusters’, as this methodology provided greater integration and relevance to the rapidly changing global supply chain.

In this regard, he explained that the recent decision to extend the mandatory period of secondary schooling by two years would be supported by more deliberate programmes to meet new and emerging career opportunities in the maritime, aviation and logistics sectors, among others. He added that the Caribbean Maritime Institute (CMI) would be piloting an integrated career programme with emphasis on para-military training, employability and social skills.

Minister Reid’s comments follow his participation in the inaugural Caribbean Fair of Transport and Logistics, which was held in Martinique May 11-13, weeks ahead of the scheduled June 25 opening of the expanded Panama Canal. Representatives of the logistics and transport sector in the greater Caribbean met in the French Caribbean territory over three days to strategise about maximising the opportunities that are arising from the Panama Canal development.

While at the conference, Minister Reid witnessed the signing of an agreement between the CMI and Martinique-based GAT Cluster Caribes Logistique & Transports to build regional logistics and supply chain competencies. The partnership between CMI and the largest French Caribbean Logistics Association will also facilitate student exchange and joint research for the greater Caribbean.

Organisers of the three-day event said it was, among other things, a meeting place for entities and people involved in education and training to attract Caribbean youth to the careers of tomorrow. The Jamaican delegation comprised Drs Fritz Pinnock and Ibrahim Ajaguana from the CMI and Balfour Peart, logistician from the Jamaican Diaspora in Florida.

— JIS