“In Jamaica and the Caribbean, we need to prepare people more, way more training is needed”. (GM#2)
“There are some very talented people here in the area of entertainment and sports but when it comes down to hotels, it is not so easy to find a Jamaican who is a great chef. It comes down to poor education”. (GM#6)
Respondents indicated that the level of education of hotels workers was very low compared to other places where they have worked. Many managers indicated that they have numerous workers in the hotels who cannot read and write and who lack basic educational skills. However, they indicated that this did not prevent them from hiring these individuals for lower positions, such as stewarding and gardening. On the other hand, lack of education has prevented many who may have the capabilities to do well from being successful because of their inability to pass some basic hotel entry tests. The following comments related to this topic:
“Education is less here in Jamaica and the Caribbean. We had a job fair and saw 900 people. We had lots of people that didn’t even know how to speak English. If people had the opportunity to go to school, they would do well”. (GM#2)
“The level of education here is less, but this is a people business so it’s not of huge importance and it depends on what you are hiring them for”. (GM#9)
“The people lack the basic level of education which is why we have to offer some basic reading and writing skills. We have people who don’t know how to write their names”. (GM#8)