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Despite record employment levels and strong economic confidence, employers are finding it increasingly difficult to fill key positions. This paradox, dubbed the “confidence dilemma,” will take centre stage at the forum, which brings together leaders from business, academia, and workforce training.
Speakers will include Dr. Kevin Brown of the University of Technology, Dr. Taneisha Ingleton of the HEART/NSTA Trust, and Steven Whittingham of GraceKennedy Financial Group. They will discuss how Jamaica can sustain growth while addressing workforce shortages.
STATIN data show unemployment dropped to 3.3 percent — the lowest in Jamaica’s history — but underemployment and youth joblessness remain concerns. One in four young people is not in education, employment, or training.
Business and consumer confidence indices both remain high, yet employers say hiring challenges threaten productivity and expansion. The JCC’s Emile Leiba stressed that collaboration between the public and private sectors is vital to building a workforce that meets modern demands.
The forum is expected to explore solutions such as technical education reform, digital workforce readiness, and apprenticeship partnerships.
The conversation marks an important effort to turn Jamaica’s optimism into long-term growth by investing in people as much as in enterprise