APPRENTICESHIPS can have a triple benefit, positively impacting the apprentice, their employer, and society as a whole. This is the consensus among business industry players who believe the model can greatly benefit the economy by addressing the labour shortage issue as well as crime.

“For those who would have left high school or may not have finished with the best grades, but to give them that opportunity of learning a trade and getting qualified in a trade that’s appropriate, and also to work with the manufacturers to ensure that we fill these positions that we need that are technically in nature. So it’s obviously a win-win situation,” said former president of the Jamaica Manufacturers and Exporters Association (JMEA) John Mahfood in an interview with the Jamaica Observer.

Figures from Statistical Institute of Jamaica (Statin) for Q1 2024 revealed that with a labour force of approximately 2.1 million people of working age, only around 1.4 million are actively participating, despite a low unemployment rate of roughly 5 per cent. This means around 700,000 people are not engaged in the labour market. Further statistics from Statin show that, of the 1.4 million actively participating, many employed individuals lack certification, with only 227,300 having tertiary education. Kamesha Blake, executive director of the JMEA, shared that utilising this model can help drive certification, employment, and economic growth.

“With a low unemployment rate, people are not readily available. However, by tapping into the unskilled and non-employed population, encouraging them to join the labour force, and certifying them, we can drive economic growth,” she said.

Despite the officially low unemployment rate, manufacturers are facing significant challenges in finding qualified technicians, electricians, mechanical technicians, electrical technicians, forklift drivers, and other skilled staff. Companies often address this by sending existing employees to HEART for training, a common and popular approach. HEART also collaborates with manufacturers to offer training sessions outside of working hours. However, Mahfood pointed out that it’s not solving the problem.

“HEART has proposed an apprenticeship programme, which we have agreed to implement. This programme will provide staff with practical experience by allowing them to work with us for a period of time as part of their official training at HEART,” Mahfood told the Business Observer.

Mahfood acknowledged that the severe shortage of skilled labour in the past year has made this issue even more pressing. He noted that qualified people are immigrating, both legally and otherwise, creating a challenging situation.

“Some of our members, even smaller companies, are taking on apprentices in needed areas, providing them with valuable experience. It’s working well, but we need to scale it up,” he said.

When asked what he meant by “gear it up”, Mahfood clarified, “We need to train more people and get the word out to manufacturers that this programme is available and beneficial, with minimal cost to companies. It’s something that should be embraced more widely.”

Upskilling the nation’s people could help alleviate the high crime rate, identified as the largest factor contributing to declining business and consumer confidence in the economy. The Jamaica Chamber of Commerce (JCC) Consumer and Business Indices Survey, led by Don Anderson, reveals that 61 per cent of consumers and businesses cite crime as their top concern. Both groups suggest creating more jobs for young people, particularly better-paying ones, as a key solution. The survey highlights a lack of jobs for young people as the root cause of crime, while business owners struggle to find skilled workers. Apprenticeships may offer a solution to bridge the gap between the unemployed and unfilled skilled labour positions by providing young people with the training and experience needed to access better-paying jobs, thereby reducing the likelihood of criminal activity and increasing economic growth.

“It is a huge burden on the country because it means these people are not contributing to society or looking after themselves. So we want to be able to reduce that number of people and make them employable and make them, you know, get them in a position where they can work and earn a living and sort of, you know, be a disincentive to get into crime and other bad things,” Mahfood said.