The issue of employment has grown in significance in almost every modern community. The unemployment rate represents problems of social and economic character. The issue of job opportunities is especially prominent in developing countries such as Jamaica. The country has suffered from this issue for a long period, especially during the pandemic, since the country’s economy is highly dependent on the service sector of tourism. Although a recent positive trend in decreasing levels of joblessness is apparent as the country revitalizes its main source of income, the problem of the high level of unemployment among youth is persistent. There are three factors that contribute to the negative trend such as inability of the government to provide jobs, low education quality, proliferation of NEET lifestyle.
Recent employment figures are consistent with other signs suggesting the Jamaican economy is beginning to recover from the severe downturn brought on by the COVID-19 outbreak. According to the Statistical Institute of Jamaica, in October 2021, the employment shortage rate in the nation hit a historic low of 7.1% (McIntosh). However, youth joblessness remains substantially high, at 18.9% (McIntosh). The figure has decreased from 21% before the epidemic and is much lower than its peak of 30.3% in July 2020 (McIntosh). Nevertheless, this problem causes mass migration of youth, a problem that successive administrations have been unable to overcome, which forces continuation of the trend.
There are two primary kinds of variables that explain the persistence and intensification of issues. Caribbean adolescents experience regional labor markets. There are supply-side issues on the one hand. Inadequate education, lack of proper training in terms of training, relevance to current technologies, very high occupational and salary goals, lack of job experience, and incorrect attitudes were cited as factors for youth joblessness (Lőrinc et al. 415). In other words, a portion of the reason for the issue may lie with the kids, their families, and the educational institutions tasked with preparing them for the workforce. Insofar as this is accurate, a substantial portion of young jobless people might be categorized as structural in character and could be addressed by changes in mindset and access to training. However, there are also demand-side considerations despite the fact that the inability of the economy to provide adequate jobs, particularly in desired regions, maybe a key cause of young unemployment.
Access to higher education, job training, and work experience serve as steppingstones for social and economic development on a global scale. In many developing nations, however, considerable segments of the population, particularly young and economically disadvantaged individuals, are not engaged in education, work, or training and are known as NEET youth (Hull et al. 299-300). Young disengagement is a global problem that is of significant concern in the Caribbean, where youth unemployment is double the national average (Hull et al. 300). Countries such as Barbados, Jamaica, the Bahamas, and Trinidad & Tobago are disproportionately affected by the high number of NEETs (Hull et al. 300). Several significant elements have been identified as determinants of the life outcomes of such youth. Two of these causes are low educational attainment and difficulties in the family situation (Hull et al. 300). Socioeconomic background and family support provide the groundwork for a child’s future development in life (Hull et al. 301). Given the lack of interventions, the projected developmental trajectory of kids who are not in school, work, or training is grim.
In conclusion, despite the decreasing unemployment rate in the country related to the overall stabilization of the national economy, the main issue of youth unemployment remains persistently high. It is related to the high proportion of disengaged youth, low quality, and low access to proper education among the young population. Consequently, governmental interventions targeting training, motivation, and increasing self-efficacy among youth are required.
Works Cited
Hull, Darrell M., et al. “Positive youth development in Jamaica: Latent growth of self-efficacy and youth assets.” Handbook of Positive Youth Development, edited by Dimitrova R. and Wiium N., Springer, Cham, 2021, pp. 299-313.
Lőrinc, Magdolna, et al. “De-individualising the ‘NEET problem’: An ecological systems analysis.” European Educational Research Journal vol. 19, no. 5, 2020, pp. 412-427.
McIntosh, Douglas. “Unemployment Falls to Record Low of 7.1 per Cent.”Jamaica Information Service, 2021.