Download Enhancing Skills in the Eastern Caribbean

Enhancing Skills in the
Eastern Caribbean
Cynthia Hobbs, Sr. Education Specialist
World Bank, November 2007
Overview
• Why should we care about skills?
• School matters
• Preparing youth for the labour market
• Improving the link between school and work
The OECS economy is changing
100%
90%
19
16
15
Govt. services
80%
Private services
Share of GDP
70%
60%
53
61
64
50%
Other industry
40%
30%
20%
10%
12
7
14
7
Manufacturing
17
14
10
6
7
1980
1990
2000
0%
Agriculture
Source: World Bank (2005) based on ECCB data
New service jobs demand skilled workers
Workers by education level per economic sector (Caribbean)
Agriculture
Food processing
Textile & garments
Electric & electronics
Other Manufacturing
Professionals
Tourism
Skilled Workers
Financial services
Unskilled Workers
ICT-enabled services
Medical services
Professional Services
Transport
Construction
Energy
Retail/wholesale Services
0
20
40
60
80
100
Overview
•
Why should we care about skills?
•
School matters
•
Preparing youth for the labour market
•
Improving the link between school and work
Education is the most important asset
and can be a way out of poverty
OECS (St. Vincent & Grenadines): Salary by education level
50,000
45,000
University (1618)
Post-secondary
(13-15)
Secondary (8-12)
Wage EC $ per year
40,000
35,000
30,000
25,000
Primary (4-7)
20,000
Primary (1-3)
15,000
10,000
5,000
0
15 - 19 20 - 24 25 - 29 30 - 34 35 - 39 40 - 44 45 - 49 50 - 54 55 - 59
Age
Source: Population and Household Census 2001, St. Vincent
and the Grenadines
Proficiency in literacy and numeracy skills is key
Examination pass rate
CXC Pass Rates, 2003
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
66%
62%
56%
61%
58%
45%
37%
34%
58%
39%
57%
39%
English A
53%
39%
53%
46%
52%
45%
46%
35%
41%
30%
Math
37%
24%
80% end schooling with secondary
• Secondary education is still very focused on
preparation for tertiary (academic) studies
• School leavers enter labour market without strong
basic skills
• Few labor market-oriented courses, little career
counseling, and little help in transitioning to the
world of work
Overview
•
Why should we care about skills?
•
School matters
•
Preparing youth for the labour market
•
Improving the link between school and work
Youth
39% 39%
24%
13%
St. Vincent
& the G.
St. Lucia
11%
St. Kitts and
Nevis
•Carries economic costs
Adult
Grenada
•Social inequality and
deviant behaviour
56%
Dominica
•Lost human capital
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
Antigua &
Barbuda
Youth unemployment
leads to:
% unemployment
Youth unemployment is high
Source: National Labor surveys and Population and Household
Censuses from different years, 1991-2004
Life skills for jobs
Caribbean: Employers’ assessment of most desired skill set
Honesty/integrity
86%
Work ethic
86%
Problem solving / efficiency
82%
Communication skills
79%
The ability to work well on teams
77%
Taking individual responsibility
68%
Dependability
47%
Computer skills
45%
0%
20%
40%
Source: Caribbean Knowledge and Learning Network: Labor Market Survey, 2006
60%
80%
100%
Knowledge economy skills
• Growing focus on “life skills”
• Reliability, critical thinking, team work
demanded by employers in the OECS
• Gradually being incorporated into curriculum,
teaching, and examinations (CCSLC, CVQ)
• Quality and relevance of education (global
assessment important)
Overview
•
Why should we care about skills?
•
School matters
•
Preparing youth for the labour market
•
Improving the link between school and
work
How to close the career gaps?
• Do needs assessment, adjust offerings and
enrolment, expand trainee/internships
• Broaden representation on external boards
• Track demand and job performance of
graduates
How to close the career gaps?
• Expand access to post-secondary programs
• Enhance collaboration among small countries
and regional institutions: CKLN, UWI
• Shift institutional focus towards “drivers of the
local economy”
On-the-job training
Low training of work force
90%
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
85%
% of firms training workers
75%
65%
54%
50%
41%
Dominican
Republic
Latin
America
Belize
Haiti
Source: Caribbean Investment Climate Assessment, World Bank (2005)
Grenada
T&T
Reasons for little training
• Lack of emphasis and systemic approach
• Poaching and small size of firms
• Low recognition and value of training
• Incipient market for private training
How to enhance skills in the labor force
Goal:
Establish training programs with standards, financing and
evaluations
Standards:
– Adopt regionally accepted standards (e.g. CVQ)
– Inform workers and employers of standards (campaign)
– Achieve regional recognition of education and training within
CSME to facilitate professional mobility
Finance:
– Second chance education programs: 99% publicly financed
– Increase labor unions’ focus on training
– Employees: training levy?
Monitoring and evaluation:
– Expand successful programs
Conclusion: Analysis points to key challenges
Issue
Wide spread
poverty
(still)
Need
Higher access for the
poor (quality education
for all; second chance
programs for youth)
Key challenges
More investment (public
and private)
Learning and skills (i) Improved learning,
are critical
especially in basic skills
(new knowledge
economy)
(ii) New “knowledge
economy” skills
-Accountability and testing
-Teacher training and focus
on competencies
Increased
specialization
(new knowledge
economy)
-More collaboration
between education levels
and within the Caribbean
-More employer
participation
(i) Better linkages with
firms
(ii) Lifelong learning
Suggestions for the way forward
• Improve equitable access to quality education
• Broaden representation on governing boards of
education institutions
• Involve private sector more directly in curriculum/
program decisions and require monetary
contributions
• Expand use of CVQ and CCSLC
• Increase access to post-secondary education
• Improve monitoring and evaluation of student
performance/ participate in global assessment
• Establish programs that address skills issues.