NAME OF FEATURE | THE GLEANER | SUNDAY, MAY 11, 2025 42 MMS 35TH ANNIVERSARY FEATURE AMONG THE many lessons taught by the Coronavirus pandemic, one important standout is the gulf between the highly educated and skilled, and the unskilled; as well as the need to implement educational policies and strategies to ensure the more effective upskilling of workers who can satisfy the demands of a changing marketplace. And it is a given that the marketplace has never been more dynamic. This, of course, has implications for the way we conceive of and deliver education and training, which, at the very least, requires some re-engineering. Educational and skills training institutions are being challenged to re-imagine what they are “selling” and why, given the demands of an ever-evolving work environment, both locally and globally. The pandemic introduced the world to the hybrid approach to teaching and learning and that seems to be here to stay. Today’s educational institutions are required to be ‘outside the box’ thinkers, to create new training opportunities that will attract and hold the interest of potential learners; to adopt new approaches to curriculum development as well as delivery techniques in response to people’s shifting priorities and the demands of the marketplace. The good news is that Jamaica’s policymakers would seem to be aware of these imperatives and are taking steps to address them. The Labour Market & Productivity Sector Plan which forms part of Vision 2030 states, “The challenge facing Jamaica is to develop the economy through positioning itself in the global market so that it can increase productivity, while forging a competitive advantage, producing high value, lower volume, highly differentiated goods and services for niche markets, and to develop the skills and competencies of our human resources to ensure that the economy’s need for labour and the labour force’s need for employment are both satisfied.” The “strategic objectives” of the island’s Ministry of Education, Skills, Youth and Information also gives focus to “maximising the percentage of the workforce that is trained and certified to satisfy labour markets demands.” There is recognition of the importance of generating “lifelong learners” who are productive and can effectively pursue personal growth as well as contribute at the national and global levels. While some institutions have always trained their employees, today, there is a greater imperative not only to meet the demands of a modern marketplace but to maximise investments in job training. According to Don Gittens, CEO of Manpower & Maintenance Services Limited Group (MMS), the organisation to which the Institute for Workforce Education and Development (IWED) is affiliated, “In this environment, it is especially important for those who offer workforce training to be nimbler. Programmes must be more adaptable both for new entrants to the workforce as well as seasoned employees. This means that educational programmes cannot be developed in a vacuum. There must be closer collaboration between programme developers and employers.” Gittens added, “This is what informed the creation of IWED and what continues to drive the growth and development of the Institute today. When MMS, as an employer, saw the need and confronted the challenge of preparing employees in the organisation for the workforce, IWED was born.” He said, “We are constantly seeking to effectively address the changing needs of the marketplace by diversifying our programmes and course offerings. We maintain our competitive edge by offering micro-credentials - shorter courses developed in collaboration with some of our clients and education partners; WORKFORCE EDUCATION & TRAINING – SHIFTING PARADIGMS Members of an IWED graduating class share the moment with CEO of Manpower & Maintenance Services Limited Group (MMS), Don Gittens (centre) and keynote speaker at the graduation, Senior Director of Marketing, Communications and Community Engagement at the HEART/NSTA Trust, Natalie Robinson (blue top), who represented Managing Director of the HEART/NSTA Trust Dr Taneisha Ingleton.
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