An Education Needs Assessment of CARIFORUM Firms

1.3. Systemic Constraints Limiting Regional and National Skills Supply

This section examines two main supply-side constraints contributing to existing and future skills

imbalances across CARIFORUM states, notably (i) the mismatch between existing education

systems/training programmes and actual private sector skills needs and (ii) the challenge of labour

market demographics and mobility across CARICOM.

1.3.1. Mismatch Between Training Programmes and Private Sector Skills Needs

Many Caribbean firms have consistently cited an inadequately educated workforce as the most

severe obstacle hindering their improvement (Valencia 2020). Drawing reference to a study by

Acevedo, Borensztein and Lennon (2019), Valencia (2020) stated that the Caribbean education

sector had the largest development gaps compared to other variables. Compared to other countries

of similar income per capita, the region lagged significantly in terms of education and skills

matching with the private sector.

This systemic problem originates from the mismatch in market-demanded skills and outputs from

the region’s educational system , which has been criticised as outdated and ultimately constrained

by rigid curricula across all levels (Cowen et al. 2022; Compete Caribbean 2015). Recognising

this, CARICOM developed the CARICOM Human Resource Development 2030 Strategy to

address significant reforms in the region’s education and training systems to develop human resources capable of effectively functioning in the 21 st -century economy and society (CARICOM 2022e). Within this strategy, twelve 21 st -century competencies and skills are envisioned as vital

for the Caribbean Citizen, notably knowing how to learn; knowing oneself; technological skills;

scientific literacies; civic literacies; problem-solving; design thinking; communication skills;

multilingualism; ability to manage change and transformation of self and society; mathematical

literacy; and ICT literacy.

Another contributing factor is the preference for traditional careers. One regional expert

highlighted that “many people in the region are learning the wrong things, choosing to invest in

training perceived as prestigious, such as law, rather than where there is demand. This produces a

society with outdated skills” (Cowen et al. 2022).

Beyond formal education systems, Compete Caribbean’s Regional Private Sector Assessment

Report found that more needs to be done across the region to boost vocational and on-the-job

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