Covel Hall and Dale McNish, Freelance WritersWESTERN BUREAU:
FACED WITH a competitive job market and a sagging economy, students leaving high schools will be hard pressed to find meaningful employment for themselves.
Checks made with a number of high schools in western Jamaica have revealed that over 2,000 youngsters have graduated from these institutions over the last week and a half.
"I'm very concerned at the moment," said Dorothy Samuda, Principal of the St. Elizabeth Technical High School (STETHS).
"When one thinks of the number of students who will be graduating, the jobs are just not there for those who would like to work because of a saturated job market," she said.
Because of the competitiveness of the job market, Mrs. Samuda, whose school recently had a valedictory service for close to 300, said she encouraged her students to get themselves more qualified so as to improve their chances of finding jobs.
"It is a very tight situation out there," she noted.
The career choices of the students, according to Mrs. Samuda, include technical drawing, mechanic, architecture, computer analysis, cosmetology and the hospitality industry.
Audrey Robinson, a teacher at the Anchovy Comprehensive High School in St. James, told The Gleaner that of the 280 students who participated in the school's valedictory service last Sunday, only 40 per cent have indicated an interest in going back to school.
"These are students who will be moving on to other institutions of learning," Mrs. Robinson clarified.
The remaining 60 per cent, she said, are those seeking to be gainfully employed, while others, according to her, will opt to create their own means of employment in setting up small businesses.
Meanwhile checks with the Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association, and Montego Bay Chamber of Commerce and Industry revealed very discouraging findings.
According to President of the MoBay Chamber of Commerce, Mark Kerr-Jarrett, most businesses are contracting now and "therefore the actual level of job creation is rather static."
He further advised that "we are going to have to wait and see what the economy does and to see whether or not several of our industries boost back up again."
He charged the school-leavers to: "Look at the trends that are taking place in the Jamaican economy and perhaps pursue some further education in those fields..." He cited the area of information technology and hospitality among fields that students should explore.
Meanwhile, General Manager of Sandals Montego Bay, Horace Peterkin and his personnel department said they have seen an increase in the number of applications to the hotel in recent times.
Fifty per cent of the applicants are recent school-leavers.
The hotel's personnel department is now busy responding to these applications, and since last month they have sent out about 200 "no vacancy" letters.
Mr. Peterkin told the Gleaner that, "for every job that is available you can fill it with one hundred persons."
He also disclosed that in a desperate bid to secure employment, persons have even volunteered to get training at the hotel without pay. He added that this is done with the hope that something will turn up during or after training.
The word from out-going Area Chairperson of the Montego Bay JHTA and General Manager of Coyaba Hotel in Montego Bay, Joanne Robertson, is that school leavers desirous of working in the industry should be willing to start from the bottom up.
Despite the many challenges ahead, an Upper Sixth graduate of Cornwall College, Winston Ennis has expressed optimism for the future.
"My plan for the future is to apply to the university... then seek out to get a great job, a job that I enjoy and that I am comfortable with," said Ennis, who is already facing difficulties in securing a holiday job.
He further stated, "I did not apply to any university or any other institution and it is very hard for me to get any work right now so I will go back to Cornwall for an extra year."
Ennis is now at home helping his father in his furniture shop.
