Emerging Industries & New Career Opportunities in Jamaica in 2020
Did you know there’s more to Jamaica than meets the eye?
Of course, there are natural wonders such as Blue Mountains National Park, Montego Bay and Green Grotto Caves that makes the island not only unique, but a tourist travel paradise.
However, Jamaica is also a place where people generate incomes and seek to increase their standard of living against fluctuations in global economic trends.
To manage these trends, an economic reform program supported by a billion-dollar Stand-By-Arrangement by the International Monetary Fund (IMF), has strengthened the Jamaican economy after years of economic decline, rising unemployment and public debt.
With stronger ownership and restored economic stability, there are greater career opportunities in emerging industries which are creating new career paths for Jamaica and the wider Caribbean.
What are these emerging industries, though? And what new opportunities are being presented to the 21st century Jamaican jobseeker?
Top Industries in Jamaica with jobs
Information Technology
Technology has become the backbone of the 21st century. The government has established an initiative entailed ‘Vision 2030’ which aims to transform Jamaica into the place of choice to live, work, and do business. Under this initiative, e-passports have been commissioned as well as the government implementing artificial intelligence across 25% of its customer and support operations to the increased use of mobile and telecommunication services.
As a result, there is increasing engineering, network infrastructure building, data protection, social media management, mobile app development and project management career opportunities for jobseekers to be at the centre of this technological transformation. Technical jobs can be sourced online through company or recruitment websites. For example, Digicel, provides a diverse listing of technological career opportunities in Jamaica.
Skills for Information Technology Opportunities
Technical jobs require hard skills and soft skills. Hard skills such as working with algorithms, data analytics, computer programming, software coding, statistical analysis, quantitative research and network security are all valuable technical skills that will allow you to perform the responsibilities in the job description.
Technological career opportunities also require soft skills to work within a team. Excellent verbal and non-verbal communications, creativity, time management and efficient problem-solving skills would be essential to have given that technology is expected to be fast and efficient. Employers and customers would expect no less from someone working in this field.
Logistics & International Trade
Under ‘Vision 2030’, international trade is expected to include business leaders, entrepreneurs, decision-makers in government, academics and technology specialists to improve competitiveness and boost the economic development of Jamaica and the wider Caribbean.
Through partnerships with the World Bank, Jamaica has embarked on a ‘Global Logistics Hub Initiative’ (GLHI) to boost the performance of the Jamaican manufacturing sectors by establishing Jamaica as a global logistics hub. This positions the island to increased volumes of cargo shipments. Companies in manufacturing, outsourcing, supply-chain management, and other segments in the logistics sector will benefit from lucrative partnerships and contracts from global partners to provide transportation services and logistical support.
Required Skills for logistics and trade
There will be greater demand from supply chain companies to provide the necessary manpower. These positions include logistic managers, procurement specialists, project managers, inventory control staff, warehouse managers, purchasing agents and customer service professionals.
Logistics and trade professionals must ensure the flow of goods is performed efficiently, safely, within standards and time-frame. Critical skills to work in this field include time management and forecasting to identify delivery times and accommodate route disruptions. Logistical staff are also required to be flexible to adapt to delivery setbacks and have a keen sense of communication. High numerical skills, decision-making and attention to detail are also important skill sets to ensure goods are transported and warehoused seamlessly as possible.
Manufacturing
Manufacturing businesses can capitalise and position themselves to find innovative and creative solutions to increase their output in a more efficient and cost-effective manner. With annual initiatives such as Expo Jamaica, manufacturing companies can showcase their best products on a greater platform and stimulate the production of new assets and the innovativeness of entrepreneurship in Jamaica.
Manufacturing Skills
Critical skills for these 21st century entrepreneurial manufacturers include high technological capability to exploit the new means of mass production as well as use of software for business operations. Computer-related skills are critical for manufacturing as industries in Jamaica are heavily becoming automated or digitalised. Design, communication, and time management are critical soft skills to ensure goods are produced within schedule and in desired quantity.
View and apply to more Manufacturing Jobs
Financial Services
With economic reforms through partnerships with global entities and anticipated surges in technological advancements and trade, there is going to be a demand for greater finance professionals. Every business requires sound financial management to maintain healthy cash flows, prepare important statements and offer sound financial advice.
With “good progress” highlighted by the IMF in its 2018 Financial System Stability Assessment (FSSA), the financial sector in Jamaica is providing additional opportunities to deepen financial markets to provide a wider range of investment portfolios and intermediation services to the public.
Skills required for the Financial Sector
Finance professionals are expected to have formal financial or accounting qualifications. Insurance advisors, accountants, financial advisors, brokers and investment bankers for example are expected to be trained, licensed or certified to provide their services to the public. KPMG Jamaica is one such organisation that provides these services and the requirements needed to do so.
Job seekers are expected to be aware of industry trends and reports such as interest rates, taxation laws, economic forecasts and exchange rates. Other skills include financial reporting, data interpretation, interpersonal skills and customer service, given that many clients may not have extensive financial knowledge and requires someone to present the data in a relatable way.
Tourism
Tourism in Jamaica offers employment to restauranteurs, entertainers, hotels, photographers, designers and a wide variety of other businesses. With increased initiatives and investment into Jamaican tourism, there are plentiful opportunities for creatives and entrepreneurs to capitalise on these developments.
View and apply in the Tourism industry.
Skills for the tourism industry
Working within the tourism sector demands exceptional customer service skills which are critical in any service industry. Excellent communication skills, working within a team, empathy and stress management as essential. Requests must be processed in a timely manner and the success of your organisation depends on the quality of your service and the hospitality your guests feel.
