Dear Editor,

Life has always moved in cycles. One generation builds, serves, leads, and eventually retires, another generation then steps forward to continue the work. For decades, this transition seemed almost automatic: People entered the workforce, learnt from those before them, gained experience, and gradually took their place in society’s engine of productivity.

But today that cycle demands closer examination. As experienced workers retire at 60, 65, or beyond, the urgent question is whether the next generation is being prepared not only to occupy those spaces, but to perform, lead, produce, and sustain them.

This question is not merely philosophical; it is supported by global and local realities. The World Economic Forum projects that 22 per cent of jobs will be disrupted by 2030, with 170 million new roles created and 92 million displaced. It also warns that nearly 40 per cent of job skills are expected to change. In Jamaica, the October 2024 Labour Force Survey reported youth unemployment at 11 per cent, while 108,900 young people, or 22.2 per cent of youth, were not employed, enrolled in education, or participating in training.

At the same time, social media has become one of the strongest influences on how young people define success. Jamaica recorded 1.81 million active social media user identities in October 2025, equivalent to 63.8 per cent of the population. This digital reach is not negative in itself. Social media has created entrepreneurs, educators, marketers, content creators, and new pathways for learning and income.

However, visibility must not be confused with readiness. Popularity is not preparation. A following is not a profession. Digital influence, while valuable, cannot replace the workers needed to operate factories, maintain equipment, manage warehouses, supervise production lines, ensure quality control, drive logistics, support agriculture, and strengthen manufacturing.

This is when the concern becomes national. If too many young people are pulled mainly towards social media-driven income and away from technical, industrial, and production-based careers, where will our manufacturing and industrial sectors be tomorrow? A country cannot build a strong economy on visibility alone.

Some may argue that AI and robotics can fill the gap. While these technologies may increase speed, precision, and productivity, they cannot remove the need for human capability. Machines still require people to operate, maintain, repair, supervise, programme, secure, and improve them. The future of manufacturing and industry will not be a choice between people and technology; it will depend on how well people are prepared to work with technology.

This is not a criticism of young people. Many are talented, creative, ambitious, and adaptable. It is a challenge to the systems responsible for preparing them: families, schools, employers, training institutions, and governments. What is needed now is a national commitment to mentorship, technical training, apprenticeships, work experience, and succession planning before the workforce gap becomes a productivity crisis.

The urgent question is this: Are we preparing young people only to be seen, or are we preparing them to work, lead, build, produce, adapt, and innovate?

Renée Watkis

renedicken@hotmail.com