Apply for our jobs, JMA head tells school leavers

[Karl]

Apply for our jobs, JMA head tells school leavers


Friday, February 17, 2012


PRESIDENT of the Jamaica Manufacturers' Association (JMA) Brian Pengelley is calling on educated school leavers to apply for jobs with manufacturing companies, through the JMA.

The JMA head said that a number of companies in the manufacturing sector are currently expanding and retooling and will need trainable young people for their businesses in the near future.

"In the manufacturing sector at the moment there is major investment going on and major investment to come, we are increasing productivity levels, becoming more efficient; and for that we need skilled trained, capable individuals, people who we can bring into our plants and give them the additional skills in technology, and that why it's important that in our education system we are graduating kids that have that ability," he told the Observer on Tuesday.

Pengelley, who is also sales director at Red Stripe, said that young persons with the right attributes are not easily found, but stated that the manufacturing sector needed to see more of them to assess their abilities.
"They are not easily found. I think we need to do some more searching but I think people need to feel free to come forward and put themselves up," he said.

Pengelley participated in the National Career Development Conference at the Jamaica Conference Centre in downtown Kingston on Tuesday.



Read more: http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/news/...#ixzz1meIAoyyX

[Islandman]

calling on educated school leavers

That says it all right there, doesn't it? We have far too many "uneducated school leavers" who are not trainable for these jobs.

[Karl]

Our people need to throw out nonsense taught in college and keep the sensible.

The idea that there are young people who are not physically unsuitable or who have been born with the type mental defect or 'fell on head' and sustained injury that makes for mental impairment that makes unsuited...are untrainable is nonsense.

No normal person is untrainable!!! Sure there will have to be different levels of investment/types if investment in the young who arrive at the workplace with/from different backgrounds/levels of education...

...but untrainable?
Damn nonsense!

*Aside: Was having a conversation with one of the Massive on his continuing amazement of the number of persons he knew in Jamaica who were deemed 'dunces' or considered 'hopeless at learning within at school' are now college graduates or who have taken up disciplines - done exceptionally well or moved into employment in the USA who are 'successful'.

Would these be some of the persons considered 'untrainable'! ...but these guys see everyday in JA 'these untrainables' starting there own 'likle businesses' showing they always had the inherent aptitude and being trainable.

Untrainable? They are not easily found?

Damn foolishness!

[MdmeX]

Karl, it is not that some are untrainable. However, the GARBAGE ATTITUDE that some of them bring - MEK YUH NO WANT TO BE BOTHERED to try and train them.

Two Sundays ago, I was in Jamaica in Portland. Met a guy who is a carpenter, he gets work, but can't find capable persons to employ. Said he had two youngsters, but they continually showed up for work "when they felt like", so after a while he couldn't bother with them.

I can relate to that............

[Karl]

Agree!

[Islandman]

So you expect the businesses to run JAMAL class to train these people in months on things they should have learnt over 18 years?

They are not BORN untrainable, but if you cannot read and write with any reasonable level of competence and not used to getting up in the morning and having a somewhat regular schedule then you are practically untrainable for any job which requires basic knowledge skills. Sure there are some exceptions, but for the majority of "uneducated school leavers" this is the reality.

[Karl]

So you expect the businesses to run JAMAL class to train these people in months on things they should have learnt over 18 years?

No!

They are not BORN untrainable, but if you cannot read and write with any reasonable level of competence and not used to getting up in the morning and having a somewhat regular schedule then you are practically untrainable for any job which requires basic knowledge skills. Sure there are some exceptions, but for the majority of "uneducated school leavers" this is the reality.

Not born untrainable?
Good of you to acknowledge that fact!

Cannot read and write with any reasonable level of competence?
First: Suggesting the 'academies at schools' have failed? ...are you?

Second: You left out that he said They are hard to find.
In the full context of what he said - He spoke and thought (is thinking) Nonsense!

Fact: There are many...scratch that...hordes of underemployed and underemployed youth with more than adequate competence at reading (understanding what is read) and writing skills..."hordes'!

Hard to find?
Nonsense!

[MdmeX]

Karl - you may want to go start an employment agency down there.

The JMA head is not the first person echoing that sentiment. Quite recently there was another business person saying the same thing that she can't find suitable people to work.

[Islandman]

First: Suggesting the 'academies at schools' have failed? ...are you?

In our first 50 years of independence we have failed to provide a basic secondary education for a significant portion of the population. That is without question. As to who is to be held responsible for that is a discussion in itself.

I am not in a position to say that there are "hordes" of trainable youths out there for those jobs since it is not clear what jobs he is speaking of. It does not sound like he is speaking about truck drivers or box packers but jobs which require more of an analytical background.

[Karl]

Karl - you may want to go start an employment agency down there.

The JMA head is not the first person echoing that sentiment. Quite recently there was another business person saying the same thing that she can't find suitable people to work.

They must be not looking!
...but more important - MdmeX you visit often: What are your findings on literate persons being out of work and wishing to find work?

..and just on the off-chance you may wish to hear what I have observed: From before I left high school I have been seeing nuff-nuff literate persons wishing for jobs and not being able to find same... I am still seeing the same thing on recent visits.

[Assasin]

A wha do unnu?

Bigman nuh want trade
Bigman want Money....

Nuff man laugh when them see a youth inna the HEART uniform and a get them lickkle pitance a week. You think nuff man with them 1-5 subjects a apply fi dat?

We need to change mindset. "unnu can give bigman dem deh money deh"?

[MdmeX]

Nuff of them nuh want to find any work, they don't see the concept of starting from the bottom up. Too many of who I encounter have the "outstretched palm", especially the men.

Try to encourage those who will listen to go learn a skill and recommend the HEART Trust programs to them.

[Karl]

I hear you!

Many are those who cannot find jobs who are 'qualified' to fill those that gentleman mentioned. Many are nurses, teachers, university grads, recent school leavers and on and on!

...then there is a host that cannot get into our colleges

Numbers chasing opportunites are waaay above our ability to satisfy...

[MdmeX]

I wish I had a magic wand to fix it all

Right now I am trying with some kids who seem to have their head screwed on right, and the fact that they are active in the school, church & community is a plus for me.

[Karl]

Yuh rite attitudes need changing!