Column: Cunningham On Youth Support & More
[Opinion column written by OBA Senator Victoria Cunningham]
In recent weeks, Bermuda has heard encouraging messages about youth opportunities and the promise of a stronger future workforce. Initiatives such as the Government’s Youth Employment Strategy [Y.E.S.] are presented as evidence that Bermuda is investing meaningfully in its next generation.
Any effort to support young Bermudians into the world of work is important and should be welcomed. But public policy must be measured not only by intention, but by outcomes.
The latest Labour Force Survey presents a sobering reality. Youth unemployment has risen sharply from 2.4% to 9.3% in just one year. At the same time, median income for young workers has fallen by 20%, dropping from $44,980 to $35,853. Underemployment has also increased significantly, meaning more young people are working, but not in roles that fully utilise their skills or meet their financial needs.
These are not minor fluctuations. They are warning signs. They suggest a growing disconnect between the promise of opportunity and the lived experience of many young Bermudians.
At the same time, the Bermuda Union of Teachers has raised clear and urgent concerns about the realities within our classrooms. Educators are reporting increasing levels of anxiety, trauma, and behavioural challenges among students, alongside insufficient access to consistent mental health support.
As Bermuda observes Mental Health Awareness Month, this conversation becomes even more important. Awareness is important but it must be matched by timely, consistent support particularly in schools where challenges are often first identified.
These concerns should not be dismissed as isolated or anecdotal. They reflect a broader shift in the needs of our students, one that has direct implications for their long-term educational and workforce outcomes. Recent examination results have also highlighted ongoing challenges in academic attainment, raising further questions about whether all students are being adequately prepared for the demands of post-secondary education and the modern workforce. Because workforce readiness does not begin at 18. It begins much earlier.
Students who are struggling to cope, regulate, and engage in the classroom are not being positioned for long-term success in the labour market. When mental health needs go unmet, the consequences do not disappear over time, they compound. They show up later as disengagement, underemployment, and reduced workforce readiness.
This is why the current conversation around youth employment must be broadened. Programmes such as Y.E.S. have value in connecting young people to opportunities. But programmes alone are not a pipeline. A sustainable workforce strategy requires alignment, from education to employment. It requires ensuring that young Bermudians are not only able to access jobs, but are prepared to build meaningful, lasting careers.
There are also wider signals in the labour market that reinforce this point. Bermuda has seen a notable increase in workers aged 65 and over remaining in or returning to the workforce, while employers continue to report challenges in finding suitably qualified Bermudians for available roles.
Taken together, these trends raise an important question: are we doing enough, early enough, to prepare young Bermudians to step into opportunity? Addressing this challenge does not require reinventing the system. It requires strengthening it where it matters most.
First, mental health support must be embedded within schools. Access to counsellors and psychologists should be consistent, not intermittent, allowing for early intervention and continuity of care.
Second, teachers must be equipped with the time, training, and structure needed to implement trauma-informed practices effectively. This cannot happen in an environment of constant reaction and limited support.
Third, scholarships, apprenticeships, and training programmes must be aligned with workforce demand, with a focus on long-term career development rather than short-term placement.
While recent budget allocations point to continued investment in both education reform and workforce initiatives, investment alone is not the measure of success. Outcomes are.
Finally, transparency is essential. Bermudians should be able to see not only how many young people are participating in programmes, but how many are progressing into sustained employment, advancing in their careers, and contributing to the economy over time.
This is not about questioning intent. It is about examining impact. Young Bermudians do not experience policy in theory. They experience it in practice; in whether support is available when they need it, whether education feels relevant to their future, and whether opportunity is real.
Bermuda’s future workforce is sitting in our classrooms today. If we are serious about creating opportunity, then we must ensure that our systems, from education to employment, are working together to support them every step of the way. Because in the end, the measure of success is not how many programmes we create, but how many futures we secure.
- Opposition Senator and Spokesperson for Education Victoria Cunningham
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