By Kurt Campbell
kurt@newsroom.gy
Already facing a shortage of labour, the situation can become dire in Guyana if the authorities do not take steps to ensure the local labour force is increased, with workers possessing the required skills and training.
A recent Labour Assessment Survey, presented on Friday at the University of Guyana, details how 53, 000 workers (skilled and unskilled) will be needed over the next five years to service the agriculture, construction, health, transportation/logistics and oil and gas sectors.
That number is steadily rising and now is estimated at 60, 000. These are just five of about 20 sectors currently employing and in growing numbers, about 40 per cent of the current workforce.
The survey was conducted by the Centre for Local Business Development with support from the University of Guyana and funded by the Greater Guyana Initiative – a partnership with the Stabroek Block co-venturers ExxonMobil Guyana, Hess and CNOOC Petroleum Guyana.
The findings were discussed during a simple ceremony held at the Education Lecture Theatre of UG’s Turkeyen Campus.
UG’s Vice Chancellor, Professor Paloma Mohamed- Martin thanked the CLBD for including the university in the compilation of the data.
She said it was significant because it doesn’t only determine what the labour market needs but how those sectors can benefit from the necessary investment.
It is also an important tool for people who want to transition from one sector to the other and those still undecided about what training or certification they should undergo.
“This foundational work is very important,” she noted.
Meanwhile, economist and agency head for the CLBD Natasha Gaskin-Peters, in presenting the findings, noted that meeting the demand for workers locally will be difficult with only 17, 000 to undergo Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) over the period and another 7, 500 to be graduated from the university; another 4, 000 persons will graduate from other tertiary institutions.
“We see immediately that skills we are producing are not sufficient to meet the demand coming,” Gaskin-Peters noted.
And so, the survey recommends among other things that efforts be placed on mechanization with shortages in technicians and engineers, that skills training be fast-tracked and for an immigration policy that allows for the importation of workers.
Gaskin-Peters believes the number of workers needed can go up to about 60, 000 with the construction sector expanding at a rapid pace.
“We are seeing more and more projects coming on board… so the 53, 000 may go up to about 60, 000 workers will be needed in the next five years,” she explained.
“Training institution must adapt…we also need an immigration policy because we will have to import labour and we must do it transparently and account for the folks here will allow for capacity building for Guyanese to transition,” Gaskin-Peters added.
She said universities that have met the traditional needs of the workforce will have to make changes to keep up the pace which could include changing curriculums to allow for shorter times to complete diplomas and degrees and make provision for people to work and study to prevent high attrition rates.
Interestingly, from the five sectors sampled, the data shows that the health sector will need the most at roughly 20,500 workers followed by construction at roughly 15,500 over the next five years.
Between government, non-governmental and the private sector, a total of 150 local enterprises were involved in the survey with an additional 170 businesses and 11 institutions.
Looking at the data historically, it’s important to note that data in 2020, the total workforce stood at 289, 000. At that time, only 27 per cent were working in the five sectors identified and by 2021, that percentage grew to 30, signalling early transition from sectors.
The data then showed that there were just as many persons at home as were working; most of them at home were women and the majority in the workforce with just a secondary education.
This data was reflected in the new survey released on Friday.
