Jamaica

Click the pins in the map to learn more about our partner institutions!
Pins denote main campus location of each university. In partnership with each university, Advance works in multiple campus locations across the country.

Priority Economic Sectors

  • Tourism
  • Creative Industries
  • Agribusiness

Skills Needed

  • Social Emotional: work ethic, teamwork, timeliness
  • Cognitive: problem solving, second language ability
  • Technical: financial and human resource management

Country Context

Views from Stoney Hill in Kingston, JamaicaKnown for its rich musical traditions and beautiful landscapes, Jamaica has experienced disappointing economic growth during the past decades, and poverty remains stubbornly high. Within this context, Advance’s Labor Market Assessment identified three sectors—tourism, agribusiness, creative industries—that show the potential to generate quality employment opportunities in the short and medium term. These three sectors employ more than 400,000 Jamaicans, with tourism alone accounting for approximately 18% of the labor force.

In order to thrive in these promising industries, young professionals need to be equipped with the skills necessary to succeed. Employers across sectors—but particularly in the tourism industry—emphasized a need for socio-emotional skills such as confidence and reliability, while technical skills in areas such as marketing, logistics and business administration were also identified as highly desirable. Advance is partnering with three tertiary education institutions across Jamaica to strengthen technical education programs that equip students with skills that are demanded by the private sector, and ensure that youth are ready to fill quality positions across these promising industries.