Video: Workforce Development Plan Group

January 18, 2018

[Updated] Minister of Education & Workforce Development Diallo Rabain and Junior Minister of Education & Workforce Development Senator Jason Hayward held a press conference this afternoon [Jan 18] to discuss the workforce development plan working group.

Minister Diallo Rabain press conference Jan 18 2018

The press conference has just concluded and we will have additional information later on, and in the meantime the 10-minute live video replay is below.

The Minister said the Workforce Development Plan Working Group is a non-statutory committee that will consist of the following members.

  • Chairman – Senator Jason Hayward, Junior Minister for Education and Workforce Development
  • George Outerbridge, Director of Department of Workforce Development
  • Pandora Glasford, Training Manager, Department of Workforce Development
  • Judy Teart, Acting Career Development Manager, Department of Workforce Development
  • Tawana Flood, Director, Division of Professional and Career Education, Bermuda College
  • Tammy Richardson, Dean, Division of Arts & Sciences, Bermuda College
  • Dr. Trescot Wilson, Dean, Division of Business, Hospitality and Technical Education, Bermuda College,
  • Dr. Radell Tankard, Acting Assistant Director Senior Schools, Department of Education
  • Levar Bassett, Career Pathways Facilitator, Department of Education

Update 3.58pm: Minister of Education and Workforce Development Diallo Rabain’s remarks

Good Afternoon and Welcome:

Today, I am pleased to announce the formation of a new Workforce Development Plan Working Group. The remit of this initiative is to lay the foundation for a 21st Century Workforce Development System for Bermuda.

It is important to have a National Workforce System in which the primary aim is to connect people with jobs. It is within this context that a comprehensive Workforce Development Plan is critical for the advancement of Bermuda’s workforce.

The development of a National Workforce Development Plan will allow the Government to:

  • Set Directions and Priorities
  • Ensure key stakeholders are on the same page
  • Simplify decision-making
  • Align essential resources
  • Communicate key messages

The Workforce Development Plan Working Group is a non-statutory committee that will consist of the following members.

  • Chairman – Senator Jason Hayward JP, Junior Minister for Education and Workforce Development
  • George Outerbridge, Director of Department of Workforce Development
  • Pandora Glasford, Training Manager, Department of Workforce Development
  • Judy Teart, Acting Career Development Manager, Department of Workforce Development
  • Tawana Flood, Director, Division of Professional and Career Education, Bermuda College
  • Tammy Richardson, Dean, Division of Arts & Sciences, Bermuda College
  • Dr. Trescot Wilson, Dean, Division of Business, Hospitality and Technical Education, Bermuda College,
  • Dr. Radell Tankard, Acting Assistant Director Senior Schools, Department of Education
  • Levar Bassett, Career Pathways Facilitator, Department of Education

In 2017, the Speech from the Throne announced that the Government will create a National Workforce Development Plan ”to ensure that Bermudians are properly prepared to take advantage of both current and future job opportunities”.

The Government believes that upgrading the skills of Bermuda’s labour force through a solid workforce development plan is critical to our long-term prospect for broad-based and inclusive economic growth.

It’s not enough just to create more jobs; Bermudians must be given a fair shot at the jobs that already exist today. Opportunities to prepare Bermudians with skills to enter the job market are a key step in ensuring that our people are employed. The National Workforce Development Plan will set the framework so Bermudians are equipped for the world of work.

Junior Minister of Education and Workforce Development Senator Jason Hayward’s remarks

Good Afternoon:

The Ministry of Education and Workforce Development has identified six [6] Strategic Priority areas that will improve Bermuda’s workforce development system:

  • 1. Employer and Industry Engagement
  • 2. Alignment of the Workforce Development System
  • 3. Creation of Career Pathways
  • 4. Development of Youth Workforce Programmes
  • 5. Universal Access to Education, Training and Career Services
  • 6. Government Resources and Funding

The strategic priorities were constructed to be intentionally broad to encompass the scope of the workforce issues in Bermuda. Not only will the Working Group consider today’s problems, but will also build a plan for the future. This can only be done if we align all our workforce resources into a comprehensive plan.

The primary functions of the Workforce Development Plan Working Group we be to:

  • Review the Strategic Priorities identified by the Ministry and develop operational and implementation plans that are aligned to the Strategic Priorities.
  • Assess the current workforce development system and recommend ways to reduce duplication of services and improve efficiencies in the system.
  • Make recommendations for legislative changes pertaining to the creation of a Workforce Development Board.
  • Prepare a report for submission to the Minister of Education and Workforce Development.

In addition to the Working Group, members of the business community will be asked to participate. The Workforce Development Plan cannot be successful without the involvement of business and industry at all levels. Through a series of consultation meetings employers, entrepreneurs and business organizations will be asked to contribute their ideas to improve the workforce development system in Bermuda.

Between 2008-2016, Bermuda experienced a 17% drop in the number jobs. Unemployment was at 7% in 2015, up from 2.1% in 2004. The highest unemployment is among young people between the ages of 16 and 34. The public sector, the largest employer of Bermudians has cut its workforce by 12% since 2010.

We need to find new ways to reach unemployed and underemployed workers, and will look at using technology and other means to respond rapidly to the needs of all Bermudians. Our plan will seek to offer not a hand-out, but a hand up, to improve the economic stability of our people.

We know that Bermuda is facing an aging workforce, and a declining birthrate. We see many of our young people leaving to take off-island jobs. We need to develop a plan that will unlock job opportunities here in Bermuda; jobs that lead to fulfilling careers with a future.

Many well-paying jobs are going unfilled, or are not being filled by Bermudians because of the perception that they are low-skilled and/or low-wage. Many of these jobs do not require a college degree, but do require post-secondary training. Employing our youth is critical to success. We need to build a pipeline from early education through post-secondary to give our young people exposure to emerging industries and new career opportunities.

The Workforce Development Plan Working Group will also partner with Valarie Palamountain who will assist us with the development of the plan.

Valarie Palamountain was invited to Bermuda through the Fulbright Program — the U.S. government’s flagship academic exchange program — by the Department of Workforce Development who’s Officers participated in an earlier professional exchange program that was sponsored by the U.S. Consulate.

With over 20 years of experience in project management, Ms. Palamountain has implemented workforce development systems associated with economic development and educational programming standards and has experience in career path development and business systems analysis for private, non-profit and public sector organizations.

Thank you

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Comments (12)

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  1. Double S says:

    More PLP diversity I see…

    • sugra says:

      I noticed that too.

      5 education reps
      3 Workforce Dev reps
      1 ex offico senator/crucial t-shirt union dunjuice
      0 employers reps

  2. Mark says:

    so a former union leader is now the junior minister of workforce development…and no one sees any problem with this?!? they really just don’t care about any sort of morality or fairness do they? and they are not going to abuse our country like the last plp government did? yeah right.

      • Bermudaperson says:

        You would fume if OBA followers sent “24-12” to you so why must you do it? Having a majority doesn’t dismiss the need for transparency and to hold people accountable.

  3. somuchless says:

    Another group of a group.

  4. Wahoo says:

    Another group?

  5. sonso says:

    Another plan for a plan !!!!

  6. enid blyton says:

    Not another committee, surely?

  7. Justin says:

    “Between 2008-2016, Bermuda experienced a 17% drop in the number jobs. Unemployment was at 7% in 2015, up from 2.1% in 2004. The highest unemployment is among young people between the ages of 16 and 34. The public sector, the largest employer of Bermudians has cut its workforce by 12% since 2010.”

    What a pathetic spin. Bermuda lost most of its jobs between 2008-2012 under the PLP’s reign and specifically because of TERM LIMITS. Do not try to mix the OBA in with the failed policies of the PLP that continue to haunt this island today.

    Furthermore, the gov’t positions only start declining during the OBA term so don’t try to take the credit for that either.

    This Workforce Development Group is a farce because politics has already come into the picture. When will the PLP stop the politics and put Bermuda first?!

  8. Me says:

    Is that one “other person I see “ surely not

  9. Jus' Wonderin' says:

    Wow another committee with friends and family….back to the same old PLP smh lol