Changes in job market need quick responses in training

CHANGES taking place both in technology and the job market are requiring lightning quick responses from flexible and resilient education and training systems, as well as from students and trainees. This observation was made yesterday by Minister in the Ministry of Science, Technology and Tertiary Education, Satish Ramroop, when he delivered the feature address at the launch of the second annual Career Trade Fair at the Sepp Blatter Hall, Centre of Excellence, Macoya. Theme of the fair is “Enabling Lifelong Learning,” and it is being hosted by the National Training Agency (NTA) in collaboration with the ministry.

Ramroop told the gathering of exhibitors and students that with the “dizzying pace of technological changes, the likely increase in the competition for jobs and the resultant redundancy of some jobs, coupled with employers’ increasing demand for employees who are multi-skilled and innovative, there is the need for lightning quick responses from flexible and resilient education and training systems.” He advised the emphasis should therefore be placed on helping students and trainees to make better career decisions, to manage successful career transitions and for a commitment to life-long personal development training. He said the ideal outcome of the fair would be getting students to recognise the difference between getting a job and finding a career.

He said embarking on a career required much more than looking through the newspapers, but rather needed a foundation in education as well as guidance on personal development. As a result, he said it was more challenging for education and training institutions to prepare students for careers, since it was no longer possible to provide students with the technical skills and hope they find employment. The minister said employers were now demanding that persons have more “non-technical” or “soft-skills,” as was being discovered through the NTA’s ongoing labour market surveys. Also addressing the launch was NTA’s chief executive officer Fazal Karim. Last year more than 10,000 persons attended the fair. The fair will move to the Gulf City Complex in La Romain on Saturday from 9 am to 6 pm.