Value your employees!

Employers need to see workers as their most valuable asset.

This is according to Minister of Labour, Social Security and Human Resource Development, Senator Dr The Hon. Esther Byer-Suckoo, as she called on managers across Barbados to follow the lead of Ocean Hotels Group, which is offering various National/ Caribbean Vocational Qualifications programmes to its employees.

“Too often I see employers place more emphasis on investing their money in the banks, markets, in their plant – having no problem in putting millions of dollars upgrading their equipment. But, investing in the workforce seems to be something that some have not even considered. So I congratulate Ocean Hotels on this initiative,” she expressed.

“It is important that employers follow their lead and continue to invest in workers; invest in their training, but not just training but certification. We believe that certification is just as important because without it, when life takes you elsewhere, you then have to assure future employers that you are trained. But it is when you have a recognisable certificate that you can move into another organisation seamlessly,” she said.

Addressing the launch of the CVQ in Customer Service – Level 2 at Ocean Two Resort & Residences yesterday, the Labour Minister also called on those employers who complain about not being satisfied with persons that employ out of University and learning institutions to assist with training. She is also urging them to communicate with the training institutions such as the Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Council, as well as the Ministry of Labour.

“Let us know what it is you need. It is not just enough to be saying that the workforce doesn’t have the skills you need. Tell us what are the skills you need. Offer to come and help with training in some of those areas. You know what you need and you may have trained in that area and have years of experience, so come and help us to train,” she stressed.

“My last call is also for employers to partner with us with on-the-job training, where we can take some of those students that we have in training programmes and attach them to the various organisations ...that is where they can get the skills. Because you know as well as I do that those skills you cannot teach on a chalkboard, you cannot teach with a book – those are skills you develop hands-on”. (TL)