The Tribune

By FAY SIMMONS

Tribune Business Reporter

jsimmons@tribunemedia.net

The Government is examining a new graduate tracking programme designed to measure employment outcomes, earnings and workforce participation as it seeks to better align the education system with labour market demand, it was disclosed yesterday.

Chester Cooper, deputy prime minister and minister of education and technical and vocational training, said the initiative forms part of a broader effort to strengthen the connection between what students learn and the skills employers need.

"As part of our technology push, one of the initiatives we are examining closely is a pilot programme to better track graduate outcomes and workforce readiness," Mr Cooper said during his contribution to the 2026-2027 Budget debate.

The proposal comes amid long-standing concerns from the private sector over skills shortages and difficulties filling positions despite persistent unemployment levels.

"We must strengthen the bridge between education and employment," said Mr Cooper. "For too long, there has been a gap between what students learn and what the economy needs. Employers say they cannot find workers with the right skills. Graduates say they cannot find good jobs."

According to Mr Cooper, the proposed system would provide policymakers with data that is currently unavailable, allowing the Government to evaluate whether education programmes are producing graduates whose skills align with labour market needs.

"For too long, we have educated students without always having a clear enough picture of what happens after they graduate," he said. "How long does it take graduates to find work? Which programmes produce the strongest outcomes? Are employers satisfied? 

Where are the skills gaps? That is why we are examining our national graduate outcomes and labour market intelligence capabilities."

Under the proposal, graduates would be tracked at various intervals after completing their studies. "The concept is to track graduates at key intervals after completion of their studies to better understand employment outcomes, career progression, earnings and workforce participation," said Mr Cooper.

The initiative is also intended to address concerns about the emigration of highly-educated Bahamians, particularly those whose studies have been supported by public funds. "Recently, I met a group of Bahamian students, some on scholarship at Monroe University in New York," said Mr Cooper.

"What troubled me was that too many of our qualified young people, some even on scholarships paid for by taxpayers, are actively planning to build their lives abroad even as employers here say they cannot find enough workers."

Mr Cooper argued that improved workforce data could help policymakers better understand and address those trends. "This system will help to bridge the vexing brain-drain gap," he said.

Mr Cooper also revealed that he has asked the Scholarship Board to consider reintroducing a national service requirement for scholarship recipients. "This is why I am asking the Scholarship Board to consider bringing the system of national service back in the shortest practical timeframe," he said.

The deputy prime minister framed the initiative as part of a wider shift in education policy towards workforce readiness and economic competitiveness. "The World Bank reports that 78 percent of unemployed Bahamians already hold at least a secondary credential," Mr Cooper said.

"That tells us our challenge is not simply getting students through school. It is making sure that what they learn matches what the economy actually needs. Our challenge as a nation is not producing students who pass examinations. It is producing citizens who can thrive."