Vocational Training in Jamaica

Social and economic history of Jamaica

Vocational training in Jamaica: Jamaica is a very small island with an estimated land area of 11,000 sq km.

According to the World Bank, the region is classified as one of the lower-middle-class income group of people where the Gross National Income doesn’t even exceed $3,000.

The population of the region is relatively increased at a slow rate because of the migration of people in Jamaica.

Higher migration rates have particularly prevalent among the higher education sector, mainly in the sector of healthcare and education.

This is the main reason for the growth of social-economic factor in the region.

A shift in Education and Vocational Training in Jamaica

A major shift in the education and training sector took place in the year 2011 when the HEART School of Cosmetology announced an official launched a service of Workforce College.

It was one of the first vocational training colleges in Jamaica as planned.

The workforce college represents a new approach of certification and teaching programs that includes support of incubators from professional trainers leading to a higher level of training.

 see- also- What Is Vocational Training

Vocational Training in Jamaica

The two key assets for any employee are training and certification.

It enables the job security and other employment gainful.

In the extended to the Jamaica Youth legion are numerous certificate and training programs.

The top youth training institutes in Jamaica have established to empower youth through provisional access to core training that is listed below:

• Providing skills required in life
• Provide young students with a diploma certificate in specified sectors
• Provide students the knowledge to participate effectively in the workplace and lead to the development of the company.

See also- Best Vocational Training School

Students can access enterprise training through following centers:

• Jamaica Youth Business thrust
• Jamaica Business Development Centre
• Jamaica 4 Heart

Vocational Training and Certificate programs are provided by:

• Caribbean Maritime Institute
• Children First
• National Youth Service
• HEART Trust
• Caribbean Institute of Technology

Life skills training centers for students in Jamaica:

• Cadets
• The Girl Guides Association of Jamaica
• Pathfinders
• Jamaica Red Cross
• The National Inter-School Brigade
• Boys and Girls Brigade
• Dispute Resolution Foundation

Government vocational training centers:

• Ministry of Education
• Jamaican Foundation for Lifelong Learning

Areas of Vocational training:

• Financial and Banking Services
• Engineering and Construction
• Services Sector
• Agricultural and Fishery
• Information Communication Technology (ICT)
• Professional Services
• Tourism and Hospitality
• Business Administration

Want to know about all the vocational skills?

Current and on-going Challenges:

• According to the estimation of the National Development Plan in Jamaica, the workforce of Jamaica is highly undertrained. However, more than 70% of the workforce has no formal training. This situation has arisen due to the undeveloped track of training.
• Week relation between the vocational training courses providers and the support from the workforce training programs. One of the best solutions to this issue is a partnership with the private sector.
• In the TCET programs there is lack of training of entrepreneurship. The vocational training system doesn’t allows promotion of cultural entrepreneurship that requires creation of large opportunities of employment.

Eligibility criteria for Vocational Studies in Jamaica

Usually, for entering any university or college of vocational studies the candidate requires to take an A-level or CAPE entrance exam.

It is mandatory for applying candidates to hold a diploma of three years from an accredited college.

The college must at least grant a bachelor’s degree.

Development of Vocational Studies

The Government of Jamaica has set up a Unit of Technical and Vocational Education for supervising and developing vocational courses in schools as well.

The main purpose of the unit is to make sure that the programs offered to the students are based on those knowledge, skills, habits, values, and attitudes that are demanded by the society, thereby contributing to the productivity of the nation.

The unit also monitors the programs of Technical and Vocational education in schools in five fields.

These are:

• Farming and Agriculture
• Business and Administration
• Home Economics and Home Science
• Industrial Education and
• Visual Arts

The unit also assists in the supervision of work experience programs conducted by the unit, CAP (Career Advancement Programme), TVET (Technical & Vocational Education and Training), and Centralization in the Projects of Secondary Schools.

Features of Vocational Studies in Jamaica

The vocational training in Jamaica envisions the creation of a staff in Jamaica that is qualified to international standards, stimulate investments in creating employment opportunities, contribute in bringing improvement in productivity of the nation, prosperity of its citizens and enterprises, competitiveness, and provide an awareness into the strategy of promoting vocational training in Jamaica.

Following are the features of quality vocational training in Jamaica:

• Enable the distribution of high quality and improved level of Vocational Training and Educational Programs.
• Give significant experience based on the industry by maintaining a creative and useful enterprise environment.
• Nurture the growth and expansion of micro, minor as well as medium enterprises with the help of the incubator experience.