With several Caribbean nations embarking on ambitious programmes to introduce or dramatically strengthen their Information Technology (IT) sectors, this upcoming year could see the fruit of that labour with the Caribbean beginning to be recognized as a global tech hub and viable source of qualified talent.
This is according to Joseph Boll, CEO, Caribbean Employment Services Inc, a market-leading digital talent acquisition service that aims to connect the top talent from the Caribbean with hiring managers, HR professionals and decision-makers in companies both within the Caribbean as well as abroad.
“We’ve been closely watching these developments and we’ve seen several nations successfully launch IT programmes,” said Boll. “This could take years to pay off, in some cases, but it could also be much faster than that, and there’s no doubt that it would be a tremendous boon for regional economies. IT and high tech is a multi-billion-dollar industry, so it goes without saying that it could very well prove to be the most lucrative industry for the region since tourism first began taking off.”
Especially after the pandemic nearly wiped out tourism for many Caribbean nations, economic diversification has been a priority for several regional governing bodies. Countries like Guyana, Barbados, Jamaica, Belize, The Bahamas and more have all since launched ambitious programmes, with many of their leaders speaking to a desire to create tech hubs in a region that is usually known for its beautiful beaches, delectable cuisine and friendly, hospitable people.
Most recently, the government of Guyana launched a programme in conjunction with the government of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to train some 150,000 citizens in coding. On top of creating a wealth of potential for Guyanese residents, this programme’s certification will also be accepted by the UAE, thereby creating even more opportunities for Guyanese people. Likewise, Barbados launched a partnership with the Canadian government to train and hire some 1,500 Barbadians for cybersecurity jobs.
Belize’s digital economy also recently received a significant boost in training and resources thanks to a USD$10 million loan from the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB). Additionally, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) likewise made formal suggestions to the government of St. Lucia to develop training programmes that would address skills gaps, such as which exist for IT in many Caribbean countries.
“This is just the tip of the iceberg,” Boll added. “There have been many more developments launched in the IT field and the upcoming year will show the impact it will have in the region.”