Transcript Comparative Workforce Development between the U.S. and Jamaica

Workforce Education & Development in Jamaica
Tabitha Service, Ph.D. Candidate, Diane Spokus, Ph.D. Candidate
The Department of Learning & Performance Systems, The Pennsylvania State University
Physical Environment
Geography
143 miles long, 51 miles wide, 4,244 square miles
555 miles of coastline
3 counties, 14 parishes
Average temperature 80 degrees
Independent since 1962
Cities
Capital—Kingston metro area (pop. 628,000)
Other large cities—Montego Bay (96,500)
Spanish Town (122,700)
Formal Private Sector
Goods Producing
Mining
Agriculture
Manufacturing
Construction
Services
Other-Transport, communication, distributive trade and financial services
Represented by the Private Sector Organization of Jamaica (PSOJ)
Economic Development
Economic Development
Jamaican economy heavily dependent on services, 70% of GDP
In 1980s Jamaican economy primarily agricultural
Foreign exchange from tourism, remittances, bauxite/alumina
911 Terrorist attacks in the U.S. stunted economic growth
2003 rebound of tourism
Informal Private Sector
48% of labor force
Agriculture or community, social and personal services
Subsistence farmers, street vendors, household helpers, informal importers, hairdressers,
dressmakers, gardeners, etc.
Government
Parliamentary system of government patterned after Great Britain; Prime Minister
Human Capital:
•Population 2.6 million (July 2001)
•Since 1990s there has been a significant increase in the output of trained personnel from
Jamaica’s training and education institution
•Shows 315% increase in skilled & semi-skilled manpower
•135% increase in technical, managerial and related manpower
•17% of Jamaica unemployed received training – an increase from earlier years
NATIONAL TRAINING AGENCY
Civilian Labor Force
•Trains approximately 50,000 people annually
•School Leavers Training Opportunities Programme (S.L.T.O.P.s)
•Women’s Constructive Collective
Stable population (2000): 2.65 million with annual growth rate (2000): 0.6%
April of 2005 labor force comprised of 1,193,300 individuals or 36% of the population
Unemployment rate is 12.2%
Workforce: Agriculture 21%, Industry 19%, Services 60% (1998)
Since the 90s higher “skills” are more in demand than lower skills and unskilled
Flight of Human Capital in ages >25
Immigration
•Historically, Jamaican emigration has been heavy. Since 1967, about 20,000 Jamaicans migrate to
the United States each year; another 200,000 visit annually. At present there are approximately
478,000 Jamaicans living in U.S.
•Relaxed immigration policies in U.S. & the labor demand
•There are an estimated 2.5 Jamaicans living in other countries
•New York, Miami, Chicago, and Hartford are among the U.S. Cities with a significant Jamaican
population.
•Remittances from expatriate communities in the U.S., United Kingdom, and Canada, estimated at
up to $800 million per year, make increasingly significant contributions to Jamaica’s economy.
Emigration
•28% or 715,000 persons are between age 15 – 29
•Rapid decline in population after age 25; alternatively a large population of expatriots > age 60
migrate back to Jamaica after years abroad
Education
Inherited a British educational model
Different types of schools aimed at different segments of population
Types of Schools
All age schools: basic education provided for children up to age 15
Primary schools: up to age 12
Secondary schools (remedial and vocational education)
Traditional High School
Comprehensive high schools and technical high school
Prep schools account for only 4%
3 universities, 7 teacher colleges, 6 community colleges
Common entrance examination offered at grade 5
HEART/NTA is the government body responsible for the vocational training system in Jamaica
Problems in the Formal Economy
Economy faces serious long-term problems:
high interest rates; increased foreign competition
pressurized, sliding exchange rate; sizable merchandise trade deficit
large-scale unemployment, internal debt
Social Capital
Poverty
Jamaica is characterized as a middle-income country
Per capita GDP is U.S. $1,293/yr.
Total expenditure among poorest quintile is JA $10,510 (U.S. $314)
Second poorest quintile is JA $17,480 (U.S. $522)
Median income is JA $34,975 (U.S. $1,049)
Social
Disruption is characterized by high level of violence, industrialization disputes and civil
disturbances
In 90s increase in white-collar crime in financial institutions & custom regulations
In economic terms the high crime rate is deterrent to high investment