Prepare workforce for jobs that do not yet exist, says PSOJ president

The Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica (PSOJ) wants greater focus on training the workforce in artificial intelligence (AI) and other technical fields to future-proof the country’s labour force for the next 50 years.
“It also means preparing our workforce for jobs that do not yet exist, while ensuring that no segment of society is left behind in the transition,” said PSOJ President Patrick Hylton in a message marking the umbrella business group’s 50th anniversary. “The next 50 years must be bold.”
He wants the government to expand the 1.3 million workforce with scientists, technologists, engineers, and mathematicians – known as the STEM fields. 
“No country can outgrow the strength of its people,” he said.
Research from the University of Technology, Jamaica titled ‘Impact of Artificial Intelligence on the Jamaican Job Market: Quantity and Quality,’ by Paul Golding, found that roughly 22 per cent of Jamaica’s workforce faces high to medium AI automation exposure. Of that group, 56,695 workers, or about 4.0 per cent of the labour force, face high exposure.  Other researchers believe most jobs will transform rather than disappear altogether. They highlight emerging demand in healthcare, education, creative roles, and the STEM fields.
“The countries and companies that adapt early will lead. Those that hesitate will struggle to compete,” he stated. 
The technology push is part of a wider 50-year vision for the business lobby, spanning export-led growth, education reform, and crime reduction. It comes as Jamaica recovers from Hurricane Melissa, a Category 5 storm that struck last October, causing damage and losses estimated at US$12.2 billion – more than half of the country’s annual economic output.
Hylton acknowledged that Jamaica has spent decades achieving macroeconomic stability– lowering debt, curbing inflation, and strengthening fiscal management — but argued that stability alone does not create prosperity.
“The future will not be built by caution alone,” he stated. “The next 50 years cannot simply be about preserving stability. They must be about creating growth.”
business@gleanerjm.com