UG students being snapped up to meet labour demands but Vice-Chancellor seeks more support

Students and graduates of the University of Guyana (UG) are being recruited quickly to meet labour demands in several sectors and with this growing interest, the university’s Vice- Chancellor, Professor Paloma Mohamed- Martin, is advocating for more corporate support for her students.

The Vice- Chancellor, speaking to reporters at the sidelines of an event on Monday, said the university has been responding to the growing labour demands of the country.

That has led to an expansion of certain programmes, such as engineering, business and education, alongside a general increase in student intake yearly.

Even so, it appears as though the local demand for skilled workers is outstripping the numbers of students graduating each year.

“What we are seeing now is that we can’t supply enough students to certain sectors,” the Vice Chancellor said, explaining that current students are among those being recruited.

Sectors where there is high demand, Professor Mohamed- Martin said, include finance and accounting, human resources, computing and engineering.

In recent weeks, local labour shortages have been a huge complaint from the private sector and it has been acknowledged by government.

Guyana’s Vice President Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo, at a press conference last week, said the government is allowing some importation of foreign labour while encouraging local companies to provide transportation and accommodation for persons in Guyana living in outlying areas.

Dr. Jagdeo also said more women are needed in the formal labour force.

The Vice- Chancellor, however, believes that there should be more corporate support for students who will eventually work with companies seeking their skills.

She suggested that scholarships be provided to students to help cover their studies at the university, allowing them to study and graduate with greater ease.