Young Jamaica Demands Hiring Reform

The President of Young Jamaica, Rohan Walsh, is calling for reform in the hiring process. The call follows an article published in a local newspaper on Monday stating the Chief Executive Officer at the Toll Authority of Jamaica did not meet the basic requirements for the job.

President of Young Jamaica, a youth arm of the Jamaica Labor Party (JLP), Rohan Walsh is calling for recruiters to consider the realities of young people when creating job requirements. He believes young people should be trained instead of turned away for a lack of, or limited work experience.

Walsh says it is unreasonable for jobs to require a significant number of years of experience as some young people are unable to meet said requirements due to their years enrolled in school. He said these job requirements play a major role in the issue of brain drain and that it dissuades young professionals from wanting to live and work in Jamaica. 

Meantime, President of the Jamaica Confederation of Trade Unions (JCTU) Helene Davis-Whyte, says there ought to be a balance when recruiting young professionals and that despite academic qualifications, employers often prefer to recruit people with experience to limit the training process. 

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