The Tribune

By FAY SIMMONS

TRIBUNE Business Reporter

jsimmons@tribunemedia.net

A SHORTAGE of suitably-qualified workers to fill available jobs has emerged as The Bahamas' most significant productivity challenge, with employers and the Government reporting that vacancies exist but candidates often lack the required skills.

Eddison Sumner, chairman of the National Productivity Task Force, said research identified a recurring mismatch between the skills employers need and those available in the workforce, raising questions about whether training programmes are preparing Bahamians for existing vacancies or the jobs expected to emerge as the economy becomes increasingly digital.

“The most outstanding challenge in productivity that was determined from our studies and our work is that of a skills mismatch,” he said. “We hear a lot of employers, even the Government, talking about the fact that there are jobs that may be available, but there are not people qualified to fill those jobs.”

Mr Sumner said the findings raised an important question about the direction of workforce development, particularly as businesses and the wider economy undergo digital transformation and begin adopting artificial intelligence (AI).

“The question that we had was whether we train people for the jobs that currently exist, or do we look at what is to come in the future and we train people for the jobs that are still to come?” he asked.

Mr Sumner said the skills mismatch was not the only concern identified by the Task Force, which also found insufficient digital skills and shortages of technical skills needed to fill existing and emerging positions.

The Task Force further found that labour productivity in The Bahamas remains below the benchmarks of high income countries, an area it wants to see improved through better measurement and closer collaboration between employers and government.

Mr Sumner said the proposed Bahamas National Productivity, Innovation and Competitiveness Council will help identify workforce development needs across industries and establish productivity standards to guide improvements.

He added that the private sector will have an important role in identifying the skills and training requirements of individual businesses and industries, allowing The Bahamas to better prepare workers for available positions and future employment opportunities.

The Task Force is recommending that the proposed Council support workforce development across blue collar and white collar occupations, while promoting collaboration between government, employers, labour and educational institutions.

Mr Sumner said the objective should be to create more quality jobs offering better wages, rather than having workers compete for positions that barely exceed minimum wage levels.

“We want to be sure that we can create quality jobs that are paying decent wages to those who are working in those jobs, better quality jobs,” he added.

Mr Sumner said improving workforce readiness will also be important to ensuring that Bahamians are not left behind as technology changes the nature of work.

The Task Force's five-year strategic plan for 2026 to 2031 identifies skills development as a key priority, alongside digital transformation, labour governance, the promotion of a national productivity culture and research to inform policy advice.

Mr Sumner said the Council will be expected to use research and data to help government and businesses identify productivity gaps and determine where training and other interventions are needed.

The Task Force has completed its report and submitted draft legislation to establish the proposed Council, but the institution has not yet been created. Mr Sumner said the Government must pass the enabling legislation before the Council can begin its work.

Among the outcomes projected by the Task Force are improved workforce readiness, higher-paying jobs, stronger productivity and a 15-point improvement in The Bahamas’ global competitiveness ranking over five or more years.