Jamaica’s unemployment rate has decreased from 13.70 per cent in the second quarter of 2016 to 12.90 per cent in the third quarter, according to data from the Statistical Institute of Jamaica. The trend is expected to continue as development in various sectors creates new jobs. In keeping with the changes, traditional careers such as teaching, medicine, law, law enforcement, etc are not the only jobs students and the unemployed should set their sights on. For the new year, the fastest-growing jobs will be in vocational/skilled areas.

Director of Labour Market Research and Intelligence at HEART Trust/NTA Allison Birch says the ageing population, climate change, ecology and tourism, are the drivers for change in the labour market. Here are some industries and job areas in which, she suggests, will see the majority of jobs will become available in 2017.

1. Customer Engagement Agents

Customer engagement agents act as the business communication connection between an external stakeholder (consumer) and an organisation (company or brand) through various channels of correspondence. Customer engagement agents often handle account inquiries, customer complaints, and provide technical and other support to customers.

2. Renewable Energy Technicians

Renewable energy technicians ensure the efficient functioning of equipment that collects, generates or distributes power through alternative means. They work indoors and outdoors to adjust the orientation of panels toward the sun, erect wind turbines, or measure the output of hydroelectric generators. They must be able to set up mechanical equipment, connect wires and other conduits, and work with alternative and direct current and other modes of power.

3. Software Developers

Software developers are in charge of the entire development process for a software program. They identify the core functionality that users need from software programs and determine user requirements that are unrelated to the functionality of software, such as the level of security and performance needs. Developers usually work closely with computer programmers. However, in some companies, developers write code themselves instead of giving instructions to the programmers.

4. Social Media Managers/Marketers

Social media managers communicate with organisations’ customers and clients through social media channels, for example

Facebook,Instagram andTwitter. They manage outgoing and incoming online interactions, along with other small business marketing.

5. Home Health Aides

Home health aides work in a residential facility to deliver health care to the elderly, ill, or disabled. They usually work with patients whose extensive physical/medical needs are more than a typical family can provide. Geriatrics, a specialty that deals with the health care of elderly people, is a related area which is also expected to experience growth in 2017.

6.

Mobile application developers create and design application software for mobile devices such as personal digital assistants, enterprise digital assistants or mobile phones. A mobile app developer chooses the operating system or mobile platform for which they will develop, such as Google’s Android or Apple’s iOS, then learns the programming languages and software development environment for that platform.

7. Chefs

A chef is a highly trained and skilled professional cook who is proficient in all aspects of food preparation of a particular cuisine. Chefs typically oversee the daily food preparation at restaurants and other places where food is served. They direct kitchen staff and handle any food-related concerns. Some chefs and head cooks are:

• executive chefs

• sous-chefs

• chef de partie

• commis chef

8. Engineers

Engineers design, plan and organise the testing, construction, installation and maintenance of structures, machines and their components, production systems and plants, and plan production schedules and work procedures to ensure engineering projects are undertaken safely, efficiently, and in a cost-effective manner.

9. Computer Network Professionals

Computer network professionals research, analyse, design, test, and recommend strategies for network architecture and development. They implement, manage, maintain and configure network hardware and software, and monitor, troubleshoot and optimise performance.

10. Information and Communication Technology Installer and Servicer

An information and communications technology installer and servicer installs, maintains, and repairs telecommunications and data transmission equipment, cables, antennae and conduits, and repairs, fits and maintains computers.

11. Electronic technicians

Electronic technicians repair, conduct, and test a variety of electrical systems and products. When an electrical system is malfunctioning, these technicians troubleshoot the system and repair it to a safe and working order. While repairing or installing an electrical system, electronic technicians may help advise employees in a business or corporate setting regarding how to best resolve any issues that may arise. They may also educate people about how to safely maintain their electrical systems for optimal performance.

12. Waiters, Waitresses and Mixologists

Waiters and waitresses serve food and beverages in hotels, restaurants, clubs and other commercial dining establishments. Mixologists prepare, mix and serve alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages directly to customers or through waiters/waitresses.

13. Beauticians and

Beauticians and related workers give facial and body beauty treatments, apply cosmetics and make-up and give other kinds of treatment to individuals in order to improve their appearance. Some typical occupational titles within this group are spa technician, cosmetologist, barber, aesthetician, make-up artist and manicurist/pedicurist.

14. Graphic and MultiMedia Designers

Graphic and multimedia designers design visual and audio-visual content for the communication of information using print, film, electronic, digital and other forms of visual and audio media. They create graphics, special effects, animation, or other visual images for use in computer games, movies, music videos, print media and advertisements.

— Dorian Graham