The Transition of Jamaican - International Labour Organisation ...

• career paths should be chosen in secondary school (grades 7 and 9)
• key employability skills should be introduced, this might be difficult to teach all of
the skills, but students should at least be taught to understand why the skills are
important
• youth believe that teachers should try to show the relevance of each subject to life
(eg. Mathematics should be explained as most students expressed great dislike of this
subject and often could not see the point of learning mathematics and it’s usefulness
in everyday life)
• mentorship programmes in schools were recommended by all youth and should take
the form of a partnership and should not be the sole responsibility of the guidance
counsellors but also teachers
• a national career guidance programme for parents should be implemented as parents
often oppose a career choice simply because of lack of knowledge
• schools should coordinate more ‘rap’ sessions with students to discuss important
issues such as career guidance.
• work-experience programmes were highly rated as most participants felt that it is
important, so they were willing to work voluntarily or in a job not necessarily related
to their career path
• youth recommended that the area of residence be taken into consideration when
assigning work experience locations
• youth should receive a certificate after completing work experience
programmes as an added incentive
• the government should “set aside money” in a special fund to reward employers who
have work experience programmes, or assist employers by providing stipends to
students who participate in these programmes.
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