“Every Barbadian has the right to an education and to a job that makes them feel fulfilled.”
This assertion came from Minister of Labour, Senator Dr. Esther Byer Suckoo, as she delivered welcome remarks at the first of two breakfast meetings, to discuss the draft National Human Resource Development (NHRD) Policy.
Speaking at the Radisson Aquatica Resort under the theme: Unleashing Barbadian Aspirations Through Building A Globally Competitive Workforce, Senator Byer Suckoo emphasised the importance of cultivating a national environment where citizens felt a “sense of satisfaction that they are doing what they were meant to do”.
“The role of Government, employers and of our social partners including our unions; is to be able to create that environment for such opportunities, so that every Barbadian if they want, can reach for it,” she stated.
The draft NHRD policy is expected to aid in achieving this mandate, by focusing on a framework of five strategic pillars geared towards the improvement of employability and productivity.
In a brief overview, Human Resource Development Specialist for the Barbados HRD Project Unit, Orville Lynch, identified the five pillars as: creating an enabling environment for human resource development through institutional strengthening and capacity building; developing a framework of internationally recognised qualifications; establishing demand-driven professional development and training services; rationalising knowledge management systems and improving information access; and enhancing the nation’s innovation and entrepreneurship capacity.
The meeting culminated with an open-floor discussion, which engaged a cadre of representatives from the public, private and Information Communications and Technology sectors. Discussions will continue next Wednesday, May 18, at the Radisson Aquatica Resort at 8:00 a.m.
