– to meet Guyana’s workforce needs

MINISTER of Labour, Joseph Hamilton, has emphasised the need for Guyana’s education system to adapt to the evolving job market by prioritising technical vocational education and training (TVET). Speaking on the importance of aligning education with workforce demands, the Minister highlighted the necessity of balancing academic and technical training to meet the country’s growing economic and developmental needs.

Through the Board of Industrial Training (BIT), the Labour Ministry has partnered with the Ministry of Education’s TVET programme to strengthen technical education initiatives. Minister Hamilton underscored the need to elevate the prominence of TVET, noting that countries such as the United States, Canada, and various European nations have invested heavily in this area to drive innovation, manufacturing, and creativity.

“We need to remodel education delivery in Guyana so that children are nurtured from an early age with technical aptitude,” the Minister said, adding that nations like China and India have successfully demonstrated the long-term benefits of focusing on technical education.

Addressing skill shortages, particularly in the construction sector, Minister Hamilton highlighted the urgent need to train more electricians, plumbers, tilers, masons, and carpenters to support Guyana’s ambitious housing and infrastructure goals. “When you’re discussing building 3,000 houses per year, you don’t have enough technical personnel,” he noted, stressing the importance of fast-tracking training programmes to fill these critical gaps.

At the University of Guyana, Minister Hamilton called for a realignment of academic programmes to reflect current labour market demands. He pointed out that many jobs available today are not covered by the university’s traditional curriculum. “Top companies are now saying they prioritise aptitude and the ability to perform over certificates,” the Minister stated, warning that failure to adapt education delivery to market realities will lead to frustration among job seekers.

Minister Hamilton also emphasised the need for gender inclusivity in technical training. He proudly noted that 60 percent of the individuals trained by BIT in the last four years were women, and the Ministry has introduced several initiatives in 2025 aimed at equipping women with “hard skills” traditionally dominated by men.

Looking ahead, the Ministry of Labour has set an ambitious goal of training 4,000 Guyanese this year to build a technically skilled workforce capable of supporting the country’s rapid economic growth. Minister Hamilton reaffirmed his commitment to balancing workforce training with current and future labour needs, ensuring that Guyana’s education system evolves alongside its expanding economy.