Minister Bartlett Highlights Need for Skilled Workers

• The Tourism Ministry has reaffirmed its commitment to training and certifying a competent workforce to meet the impending influx of visitor arrivals in the coming years. Portfolio Minister Hon. Edmund Bartlett stated that the industry will generate 45,000 new jobs in the next few years, buoyed by the construction of new hotels and the expansion of room stock, which will soon reach 20,000 rooms.
• The Minister noted that the Jamaica Centre for Tourism Innovation (JCTI)- the Ministry’s training arm, is seen as a critical step in preparing workers to meet the demands of the expanding industry.
• In addition to the expanding room stock, the global tourism industry is gearing up for an influx of one billion more tourists over the next 10 to 15 years. Mr. Bartlett expressed an unwavering commitment to ensuring Jamaica is a preferred destination for global travellers. To achieve this goal, Minister Bartlett emphasised the importance of a well-trained workforce capable of delivering the highest level of service.
• “The future of tourism for an economy is about qualified competent staff because productivity is what drives economic growth, and we can only be assured of productive capacity if there is technical competence and the only way we know of technical competence is certification,” Mr. Bartlett stated.

(Source: JIS)