The HEART/NSTA Trust has taken a giant leap forward in transforming Jamaica’s manufacturing sector, partnering with the International Development Bank (IDB) to develop a revolutionary programme tailored to close the industry’s most critical skills gaps.

Minister of Skills and Digital Transformation Senator Dr Dana Morris Dixon made the announcement at the JMEA’s Manufacturing 360° Conference on Wednesday at the AC Hotel.

“With IDB support, we will establish a structure where the manufacturing sector, through its sector skills council, will have a greater role in shaping the curriculum at HEART/NSTA Trust. This means that what HEART/NSTA Trust will be teaching will essentially be what you have said you want,” she said to a room of manufacturers eager to find skilled labour.

Dixon acknowledged that the Administration has long recognised the manufacturing industry’s vital role in Jamaica’s socioeconomic landscape. As a significant driver of economic growth, the sector creates jobs and offers numerous investment opportunities, accounting for nine per cent of the country’s total gross domestic product (GDP). As the sixth-largest industry overall and a key player in the goods-producing sector, manufacturing has demonstrated robust performance, with exports increasing from 30 per cent to 70.3 per cent of total exports in 2022. Dixon commended manufacturers for their contributions and encouraged those introducing new technology to partner with HEART to develop the skills their workforce needs.

“[Tell us] ‘I’m adopting this new technology, and I need people skilled in operating it.’ We’ll adapt our training programmes to support you,” she said.

Though the manufacturing sector faces significant challenges that imperil its continued growth and sustainability, Dixon stressed that chief among the challenges is the need to adapt new technologies and address the emerging skills gap in the workforce. In citing local manufacturing companies like National Baking Company and Wisynco, which are now leveraging various types of automation, as examples of the industry’s shift towards technological advancement, she said manufacturers will increasingly require engineers and technicians to operate in this new paradigm. To address this need, HEART/NSTA Trust has introduced new programmes focused on equipping students with the skills to thrive in this environment.

“If there’s more technology embedded in what you are doing, it means that we have to have trained individuals who understand that technology. Hence that kind of shift in HEART,” said Dixon.

She further revealed that the institution has also introduced cutting-edge technologies such as robotics, mechatronics, 3D printing, and optoelectronics into its programmes, which are all critical new skill areas that Jamaica must develop in order to capitalise on the latest manufacturing technologies.

“What they are training in these new areas is the equipment they are using in the class. It is not some very cheap technology that is being acquired. We are acquiring the best that is available because we truly believe students or trainees must be trained on cutting-edge technology,” she emphasised.

Dr Dixon observed that, for the first time in Jamaica’s history, the country is in a position to debate whether it has reached full employment. This milestone is particularly significant given that less than a decade ago, the unemployment rate was in the double digits — 14.2 per cent in January 2015, to be exact. In contrast, the current unemployment rate stands at 4.2 per cent. While Dixon acknowledges that this progress is remarkable, she also notes that it presents new challenges, such as the troubling gap between the skills available and those required, particularly in areas critical to modern manufacturing processes.

“A large portion of employees within the industry don’t have the skills necessary to advance their careers,” she stated. “And we always have to tell the truth, right? We can’t fix things unless we’re very honest about them.”

According to Dixon, the skills gap has significant consequences, including delayed production, increased costs, low productivity, and diminished competitiveness of Jamaican manufacturers on the global stage. While manufacturing has experienced tremendous growth, “it’s been tremendous growth in a difficult environment”. Dixon meanwhile commended the JMEA for openly communicating the industry’s challenges to the Government, prompting a response to address the problem. Last year, the Government eliminated tuition for all programmes up to an associate degree (level four) at HEART/NSTA Trust, a crucial first step towards increasing access to skills training and dispelling the notion that affordability is a barrier to acquiring skills. The next step was transforming HEART/NSTA Trust to offer programmes tailored to manufacturers’ technological needs. Dixon acknowledged that it will take time for HEART/NSTA Trust to reach a critical mass of trainees and graduates with this training, but asserted that the process has begun.

“Together, let’s build a robust manufacturing sector anchored by the requisite skilled workforce,” she said.