Closing employment door on the youth

Trinidad and Tobago is in a predicament. There are many job openings in a wide range of industries, and yet unemployment in the 15-28 year age group is estimated at 25 percent. How is it that so many young people are unable to find work, when opportunities abound? One of the reasons for this gap between education and employment is in the area of training.  School leavers are often not schooled in the vocations that are hiring and although steps in the right direction have been taken through the establishment of specialised vocational training colleges, but is it too little, too late?

If firms in Trinidad and Tobago cannot find suitably qualified locals to get the job done, they will have to either import the talent or export the work, and we may find ourselves in a situation akin to that of the USA, where thousands of jobs are now outsourced to firms in India or the Philippines. Educators and employers must communicate frequently so the needs of the working world can be met. When students are choosing subjects to study, this should not be done in a vacuum but in the context of what the country needs, and where there are the best prospects for having a productive career. 

Emotional Intelligence
In addition, there is frequently an absence of basic social skills or what is now referred to as Emotional Intelligence. EI indicates a kind of intelligence or skill that involves the ability to perceive, assess and positively influence one’s own and other people’s emotions. How well you know yourself, or your EI, determines your attitude and no-one can deny that an education combined with a positive attitude will carry you much further than education alone. The lack of a positive productive attitude is at the core of the failure to secure and sustain employment. And once a young person has secured work, many fail to grasp some of the basic concepts of work etiquette, such as getting to work on time or not using company email to chat with friends, which impacts their ability to sustain employment.

Taping Time
Recently I was privileged to chat with a social worker and family therapist called Wendell de Leon, who spoke about the “tapes” that young people have in their heads, to which they draw reference when in situations. For example, if their “tape” shows their parents rising early to get to work on time, that is how they will approach timekeeping when they are faced with it themselves. However, the reverse is also true, as young people who witness tardiness will consider it acceptable behavior, and then have no grasp of what is expected of them once they reach the workplace. It is essential therefore, that educators are given and provide information to ensure that students in their charge are given guidelines as to what will be expected of them when they graduate and begin to work.

AFFETT’s Part
Playing their part in this effort, AFETT has spent two years putting together a Guide to Careers in Trinidad and Tobago which was launched yesterday. The book focuses not only on careers that young people can choose, but also the social skills that are required to both secure and sustain employment.

These include such topics:
— the ability to succeed at an interview;
— basic work ethics such as timekeeping;
— interacting with others in a team setting;
— the value of exceeding customer’s needs.

By the end of this year, the career book will be in every secondary school and public library as well as youth training facilities such as YTEPP and YMCA, so it will be available to all young people, parents, counsellors or teachers who need information on careers, the job market and securing and sustaining employment. If Trinidad and Tobago is to face our future with a well educated, positive and productive working population, parents, employers and educators must own up to the mistakes made and take urgent steps to put things right. We have already lost one generation... we can not afford to lose another. Lara Quentrall-Thomas is an HR Professional with more than ten years experience in Recruitment and HR Manage-ment. She is Managing Director of Regency Recruitment and a founding member of AFETT. The views expressed in this column are not necessarily those of Guardian Life.

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