The Ministry of Labour and Social Security says it will be hosting two online sessions on Thursday to provide guidance to individuals who will participate in the pre-screening process for the Farmwork Programme.

In a release on Tuesday, the Ministry revealed that in order for the country to maintain its competitive edge as one of the main suppliers of labour, steps must be taken to grow the programme.

“These programmes have evolved from where Jamaica was the main supplier of labour to now, a highly competitive labour environment which demands us to be more prepared and responsive if we are to maintain our competitive status and secure additional opportunities for our people,” the Minister said. “Jamaica must take more active steps to grow the programme and secure our competitive edge. During my Ministerial visits to both Canada and the United States last year, I spent a lot of time listening to our employees and employers without whom we would not have a programme. They have highlighted several challenges which we are making every effort to address,” Minister Pearnel Charles Jr stated.

To that end, Charles Jr expressed that Thursday’s sessions will be used to bring these issues to the forefront.

“We will be introducing a range of strategies to boost the programme. These include building the capacity and employability skills of workers through human resources development and training. Improving service delivery to both workers and employers through the Ministry and the Liaison Service and strengthening the capacity of the programme to satisfy the needs of workers and employers,” he outlined.

“As a part of the regular process, candidates are required to be literate and numerate. We are also enhancing the assessment process with a psychometric tool to get better insight into the personality profile to determine best fit,” he added.

“The measures mentioned above are aimed at improving the programme, building the trust and cooperation of workers and the long-term commitment of employers. These are important elements for the development and further growth of the programme,” the Minister continued, while encouraging Members of Parliament to conduct their own screening in a bid to select the best candidates for the programme.