JAMAICA EMPLOYERS’ FEDERATION CONVENTION 2008 Professor the Hon. Errol Y. St. A. Morrison, OJ MD, PhD, FRCP (Glasg), FACP, FRSM (UK), FRSH (UK)
JEF Conference • Preparing Graduates for the Workplace • What employers can expect from graduates • What employers should ensure that graduates acquire during training
JEF Conference Employers have several choices But only two I recommend
JEF Conference Recruit and train up to 1-2 years Before actual productivity begins (You are paying an employee in training)
JEF Conference Enter 2ry/ 3ry institutions and scout for talent - Mentor - Sponsor (It’s cheaper and better)
JEF Conference Why? That the graduate will already know the company and can go directly into productivity (Hence from day 1 of employment, you are paying a productive employee and not just a trainee)
JEF Conference Why? That the graduate will have been able to stay the full duration of the course
JEF Conference The Expected profile of the Graduate - Wealth of knowledge - IT Savvy - Creative - Analytical - Innovative
JEF Conference The Reality? World bank (2004)…. ‘ To cope with the prevailing technology at the workplace, the average worker needs >12 years formal schooling (Jamaica ~ 8.5 years)
JEF Conference “Jamaica’s non-productivity is not merely the high levels of illiteracy and innumeracy; but rather that there are some 700,000 workers inadequately prepared for their field of work” ….THA Centre of Excellence
JEF Conference What then must the Employer do? - Interface with institutions - Ensure the curriculum is relevant - Sit on advisory Committees/Boards - Be Mentors for students
JEF Conference The employer must not merely anticipate the nature of the Graduate The employer must rather shape the development of the Graduate
JEF Conference You owe it to: � The Student � The Graduate � Your Employee
JEF Conference The Graduate owes much to Secondary and Tertiary education The investment in the education programme yields d 14% to the 2ry graduate ≥ 19% to the 3ry graduate ……. And there is virtually NO unemployment amongst the 3ry graduate (< 0.0002% ) Statin
JEF Conference Help him/her….. - And you have a loyal employee, who will stay and work in your institution - And you have voluntarily reduced that staggering figure of > 85% of our graduates migrating within 3 years of graduation
JEF Conference Help him/her….. ……. And you would have reduced their dependence on the vanishing governmental support at this level Everybody Wins!
JEF Conference THE UTECH GRADUATE (Public perception survey 2005 - Work-ready - Most technologically aware - 70% satisfactory level amongst employers - Good work ethics - Sound academic base - Competent in the relevant areas
JEF Conference The UTech Graduate is highly sought after - Hospitality and Tourism - Architecture - Engineering and Computing - Pharmacy and Medical Technology - Business Management …and there is yet more coming
JEF Conference The late Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. “…. The greatest need of modern man today, is for him to keep the moral and ethical ends for which he lives, abreast of the scientific and technological means by which he lives”
JEF Conference “…. And it is in the maintaining of these means for those ends, That Research and Development continues to be the driving engine of life’s endeavour!” …that is still true today! …and the graduates must and will demonstrate these attributes. Walk Good!
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