Chairman of the Guyana Council for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), Mr. Clinton Williams at a workshop yesterday underscored the necessity for a country to build and sustain a competent workforce, while highlighting significant skills shortages in major economic sectors here. Williams noted also that the rate of any country’s economic development is inextricably linked to its productivity and international competitiveness.
He was speaking at the opening ceremony of a three-day strategic planning workshop for the development of a National TVET Strategic and Action Plan 2013 – 2020 for Guyana, in the boardroom of the National Centre for Educational Resource Development (NCERD), Kingston.

INNOVATIVE MECHANISMS
However, he disclosed that the council is in the process of introducing several innovative mechanisms for TVET nationally. Among these mechanisms, Mr. Williams said, is the implementation of competency-based education and training programmes across the country for both formal and non-formal training institutions.
The council is also in the process of introducing the implementation of a national strategy of assessment and certification, as well as quality assurance guidelines for Guyana to be recognised as an accreditation body for  Caribbean vocational qualifications, among others.
Meanwhile, he noted that Guyana has been recording over the last four years a Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth in excess of 5% per annum, but  there have been  significant  skills shortages in the main sectors.
According to Williams, these sectors include gold and diamond mining, wholesale and retail trades, building and construction and Information and Communication Technology (ICT), all of which have been averaging in excess of over 20% growth rates.

SKILL POACHING
The significant skills shortages in these sectors, he explained, have been further compounded as a result of the undesirable, increasing phenomenon of ‘skill poaching’ between sectors, as well as migration.
He added that traditional sectors such as sugar, rice, seafood and forestry have also been experiencing significant skills shortages with resulting negative effects such as high commodity prices locally, in addition to consequential competitive disadvantages in the export market for these products.
He also asserted that the rate of any country’s economic development is inextricably linked to its productivity and international competitiveness, and along with its capacity to build and sustain a competent workforce.