June 16, 2023
On the heels of a World Bank report lamenting a lack of sufficient labour intermediation services across 12 countries in the region, Caribbean Employment Services Inc. is reaffirming its commitment to bolstering employment by connecting Caribbean jobseekers with reputable employers both within the region and abroad.
Caribbean Employment Services Inc. is 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. Further, it aims to provide the region’s jobseekers and those who are already employed with news and resources related to Caribbean labour.
Its statement follows the World Bank publishing its Regional Private Sector Diagnostic: “Promoting private sector-led growth to foster recovery and resilience in the Caribbean.” In that diagnostic report, the World Bank expressed concern about high levels of informal employment; unemployment — and particularly youth unemployment; and a high risk of individuals becoming the “long-term unemployed”.
The World Bank report acknowledged that some governments have launched programmes designed to help build skills among youth and increase their employability, including skills training and efforts to encourage entrepreneurship. However, it noted that “little information is available about their effectiveness”, instead noting that “the region still lacks well-established labour intermediation services to link jobseekers with employment opportunities in the private sector”, which could help to resolve such concerns.
In response, Caribbean Employment Services Inc. CEO Joseph Boll said, “This is exactly the reason why our service was launched and why we continue to expand. The processes of job hunting and recruitment in many of the region’s countries are still antiquated, inequitable and ineffective. By launching our modern service, we hope to improve the process for everyone and help to improve labour prospects. There are a lot of talented people in the Caribbean who have struggled to find suitable employment, while many employers complain about not being able to find adequately qualified workers. Caribbean Employment Services Inc. is working hard to bridge that gap, and while it’s good to see the World Bank acknowledging that gap, it means we have more work to do.”
Boll said his organization notes the World Bank’s remarks and is encouraged to continue making every effort to provide recruitment, job placement and job search services to benefit jobseekers and employers throughout the region.
The 12 Caribbean countries highlighted in the World Bank report include Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Saint Lucia, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname and Trinidad and Tobago.