More job market information needed - Chief Education Officer Guyana Chronicle January 3, 2000 MORE information is needed on the job market to help in planning to meet the country's manpower needs, Chief Education Officer, Mr Ed Caesar says. "We (the Ministry of Education) need more information on how many craftsmen and other technical skills are needed in specific areas over the next five years," he told a press conference. This will help technical institutions such as the Government Technical Institute (GTI) and the New Amsterdam Technical Institute (NATI) to "gear themselves towards that goal and be more focused", he said. Caesar also told an end-of-year news briefing last week a positive sign was that technical and vocational institutions were keeping close contact with industries. That has allowed the institutions to at least produce persons needed for their industries, he added, and hoped that the existing cooperation and collaboration will continue. During last year, the Ministry of Education, recognising the need for more land surveyors in the country, took steps to ensure that a surveying course is again placed on the curriculum of technical institutes, Caesar said. According to him, the Lands and Surveys Department at D'Urban Backlands in Georgetown assisted by making two of its staffers available to teach the subject at GTI. The discipline was previously taught at the institution but had to be dropped because of a shortage of lecturers. But Caesar noted there is a dire need for surveyors in the country. "It is important that youths are trained in the discipline so as to allow them to make a contribution to the country's development," he added, noting that the return is a good development. Caesar said efforts are being made too for some training done overseas. Last year too, technical institutes focused attention on craft and technical levels, in an effort to produce more masons and carpenters and are working feverishly to ensure that persons pursuing such courses are properly taught, he added. This year, the ministry will be focusing on craft production and designs. Pointing to the activities of the Craft and Production Department in the Carnegie School of Home Economics compound in Georgetown, Caesar said the division plays an important role as it prepares persons not only to work with others, but primarily for self-employment. "There is a need for diversification in the country, hence an agency/organisation like the Craft Production Division continues to work to produce young people with skills so that they can become self-employed," he added. A © page from: Guyana: Land of Six Peoples