Local activist begins jobs drive initiative
(CNS): The fact that there are now some 23,000 work-permits circulating in the local economy while 2,000 Caymanians remain unemployed continues to frustrate many people in the community. Local activist Sandra Catron said she is launching a new jobs drive using her database of some 6,000 contacts to try and match these local people to the many jobs that there are available in Cayman. Having made several successful efforts over the years to match jobs and people on a case by case basis, the current unemployment crisis calls for more and Catron told CNS that she will use her own database of contacts to try and get as many unemployed Caymanians as possible matched to a real job.
“For many years people have been contacting me to assist them with job placement,” Catron stated Thursday. “My sole efforts have been largely successful. However, recently I have had an unusual number and have decided to take more drastic steps to put unemployed persons in contact with potential employers.”
She explained that with a contact list of almost 6,000 people, she hopes she can help more and not just those with skills in high demand.
“In the past I’ve worked closely with CML but they can only assist certain skilled workers and also have a limited number of clients. I figured this could be the most effective means of getting the word out there, in hopes of assisting these persons. There has to be a meeting of the minds with both employers and employees knowing that the other exists.”
Catron said she had also been using social media to ask those who are unemployed to get in contact with me and provide me with their resume and to have an job packet ready at all times, including the essential documents an employer would be needing in the recruitment stage.
The local activist said she is also planning a seminar for the unemployed with tips on how to improve their job hunt success, including resume writing tips, presentation and some of the basics that employers are looking. This is scheduled for 4 May at the GT Public Library, 3rd floor conference room, from 12-1:45pm.
Anyone wanting Catron to help them or who is looking for staff can contact her via Facebook or email: info@skills.ky
Category: Local News
Whilst it seems that she has the best of intentions, she doesn't find it odd that these people are not driven enough to find jobs on their own? Why aren't these people out there pounding the pavement looking for work? Sounds like this just furthers the idea of entitlement. "I don't have to find a job because someone else will find it for me."
Obviously you havent tried to find a job the way locals have to – without the benefit of sweetheart arrangements by pals and mates!!
2,000 unemployed in a country of 50,000 is less than half a percent. That represents the people who are unemployable. They either lack the education or aptitude, or have criminal records, or are known among the community as having embezzled or stolen from previous employers. It's way cheaper to hire a Caymanian than pay the permit fees for expats, so they are only hiring permit holders because they have the requisite education, eperience, and work ethic.
With math like this, the poster must be a government accountant.
So those with Batchelor and Masters degrees who are unemployed are simply a waste of time then?
If they're one of those who has the brains to get the papers but not to understand or perform the job – yes, actually.
And this from a person who presumably has a job! I take it there is no counting or maths in your line of work sir/madam. Maths aside (it’s 4% based on your numbers BTW), remember that in a country of 50,000 the work force will be a lesser number since children and theelderly are not looking for work. So call it no more than 30,000 workforce, which would mean something closer to 7%. Bummer! So summin’ must be wrong after all……….
While I certainly respect your opinion and agree with it to a great extent, I do know of quite a few truly qualified Caymanians who were passed over for jobs given to expats.
While I genuinely sympathise with any qualified Caymanian with the right work ethic and attitude who is being dis-enfranchised by the system, the real culprit are the majority of the "unemployed" Caymanians who are UNEMPLOYABLE.
It is that latter demographic that is creating the problem for the rest.
Work ethics, attitude and discipline are sadly lacking among a large percentage of our people, and many of those unemployed (if not most) belong to this group.
We need to create workshops that help to change the attitudes, perception and expectations of our Caymanian workforce, to empower them to greater heights.
Don't give them fish … teach them HOW to fish for themselves.
My boyfriend… well he's now my ex…. amazed me as he is one of those unskilled workers looking for a job who says he'll do anything. Yet when a labor job came up on a construction site he said he wouldn't work out in the hot sun all day; when a helpers job came up at a boatyard (he loves boats) he didn't want to work Saturdays; when a painting job came up he said he couldn't stand the fumes; when someone offered to pay him money to dig holes for fence posts, he refused – too much hard work. I am at a loss… is there anything else left for him to do? How many more men like him are there out there? No wonder we're having to import so much unskilled labor.
Great idea Sandra!! I know that you care for the people of the Cayman Islands and haters will be haters no matter what. The people that you help know your heart and appreciate your efforts.
Is a great idea the work of Miss Catron for the improvement of our work on the island. God willing, that everyone finds a better chance for the welfare of our country.
Good luck Sandra.
O.V
With all due respect as a Caymanian who has been working in Human Resources for over twenty years you can do all of this you want but there is a huge majority of especially Caymanians in the 18 to 25 age range who might be qualified to work but once hired are unwilling to work the excessive absenteeism costs businesses significants amount of money annually and results in good Caymanian workers having to shoulder the burden that those holding their sense of entitlement place on us. They need a strong attitude adjustment and they need tobe willing to take responsibility and exceed employer expectations just like our grand parents did and many of us have done. There is hope with programs like Passport2Success and others but still I am dismayed at the many who abuse the system, the lack of basic skills required for any position, the unwillingness to start at entry level and prove yourself, the sense of entitlement, the failure to abide by employers rules and policies, it is just so discouraging and that is a sad state of affairs. These kids should never have been given diplomas or of they dropped out of school they need to go back and they need to understand you put in a full honest day of work for your pay
I totally agree. I am so disheartened to hear the current candidates only speaking about all the things they will do for the country when they are elcted, further fueling the entitelment situation.
I am shocked how many people drive new SUVs but can't afford to properly clothes and feed their children. There is no need for you to have 3 massive flat screen TVs in your house, and you don't need to own a boat or get your nails done or be at the movies every week and then wanting government to help you out……
I had three relatives returning to Cayman after they got their university degree and each of them got a job, however, they were willing to start at entry level positions, suited for someone with no working experience……..
I really wish that some of those candidates grow a pair and make it very clear to the public that whilst they will do what they can to create jobs, the public needs to step it up, show some motivation to star somewhere, live within their means and don't rely on government support and handouts but I guess that is not a popular election topic!
16:24, you have hit the nail on the head, and you have the experience to justify it.
If all these unemployed looked at the reasons you listed I guarantee several apply to each of those who can't find a job.
Congratulations Sandra Catron! This is a great grass roots idea to bring attention to the Cayman Islands' 10% unemployed and hopefully help people find jobs. Your idea of having them give you their resumes should help as well! 🙂 Good thinking!
I dont think so. How many of these Caymanians that are unemployed have graduated high school, how many haveattended Univeristy, how many of them have held jobs but arrived late/ on "cayman time".
I useless story with out the statistics. Employing Caymanians or anyone for that matter, who is unqualified is one of the reasons so many businesses here struggle. Think people, there are plenty of janitorial, construction, and waitressing jobs avalible, but how many of these Caymanians what them… We have created an entitlement culture, were Caymaninans feel entitled to jobs that they are no were near prepared to have.
Dont be so naive.
And what would you know about statistics on educated Caymanians, or even expats with education? If you think the qualifications for being a doorman are so high then I imagine you must have failed 2nd grade. I've met many uneducated people on work permit, you don't need a University Degree to be a desk clerk! Perhaps what you are referring to is skin colour? That's usually what the problem is with people like you. Stop discriminating.
Everyone that contacts her is being given a lecture on why they must vote for the UDP. Seems to me this was simply a ploy to get the unemployed on the phone
It is great what Sandra is doing to help her ppl! Idk why ppl have to turn such a positive thing into negative… U all need stop being #badminded!!!! Good wrk Sandra keep fighting to help the ppl of Cayman!
Did see her name on a list of recipients of the Nation Building Fund.
No I saw her business which was being used to sponsor 35 Caymanians. That would be the same people who you all claim don’t want to educate themselves. You people are something else.
So all those Caymanians – including my daughter – who benefits from the Nation Buidling Fund sponsoring the Paralegal course should not have gotten it? There is no other option if you cannot afford this program yourself as the Govt. scholarship sceheme does not cover these sorts of things.
Because of the paralegal course she was able to get a job – so yea, thank you Sandra Catron and thank you Nation Building Fund!
Then change the way the scolarships work and put the monies there.
This is an awesome thing that this individual’s doing, let’s show our support instead of giving a thumbs down. Cups to you Ms. Catron for embarking on such a well needed endeavor.
Hello People please educate yourself the DER does not exist and has not for over a year. The Labour Department has nothing to do with employment. Employment is done by th NWDA the National Workforce Development Agency. Please get your facts right before you start flapping in and on the media.
There is no issue with Caymanians taking the jobs currently being performed by work permit holders, that is providing the Caymanians have the same, or better, qualifications and experience. The problem is there are too many thinking that because I write on my resume I am an accountant I should be the CFO of maples etc.!
Another point to take into account, why would an employer want to hire someone who was previously removed from a position for poor job performance, attendance or attitude? Many, not all of course, of the unemployed are not giving themselves a chance at a good job because of poor job history. In those cases they need to lower thier expectations and work themselves back into a higher position by performing well in a lower position.
Sowhat about the expats who are here working, they find their friends locally, they get together, get wasted, come in to the office the next day (still drunk), stand around and chit chat and having loud laughs discussing their fun night, disrupting the Caymanians who would not even consider being so loud and disruptive who are already hard at work? Yes this happens on a regular here and when one is far too sick from drinking, they can call in sick and its fine but a Caymanian call in sick then there is immediate doubt, whispers by the expats, if a Caymanian’s child is sick, its either you take that time out of your vacation or you work that time back – in order to attend to your sick child but an expat’4 child is sick, the whole management is ready to escort them home, assist with getting the best doctor on island, arrange to have a nice basket sent home to their child etc – you people have a lot to learn about what’s really happening here. We have expats here working as CFO of law firm, without proper qualifications but because he kisses the Manager’s ars he can do as he please, treat Caymanians with no respect, went to whatever lenghts he could to see that our once happy office is now just a factory where people just come in, work and leave.
Cayman has now come full circle. From " The Land that time forgot", to "the Govt. that forgot its own People", to "The Caymanians who are ready to move forward". That cruel generalization that Caymanians are lazy has unjustly wrecked havoc in so many lives here. Make that a bygone era. We want our jobs, to make our money, to spend Cayman, to stimulate our economy, now! Priority: Cayman First… then perhaps a few necessary jobs for those lovely foreigners <<< with a profession that can't be filled otherwise >>> who want to make money, to send / spend and stimulate another country's economy. Here and now, "It's the economy stupid!"
Do you have a job?
Thanks Sandra. Let's hope this applies for all the white collar rubber stamping too. The old game is in full force at Immigration and only with the help of the DER and Business Staffing Boards really looking at every newpaper posting and walking it through Immigration can we succeed.
I'm tired of hearing about qualified Caymanians being passed over too!
Here she goes again . . .
Sandra is on the right track. A simple and national job placement initiative is all that is needed. We wouldn't need an arbitrary rollover policy to ensure jobs here if all we needed was a database and proper enforcement. My take
The rollover policy was not about jobs. The fact that people still don't get that, either deliberately or not, is indicative of why they can't get jobs.
Sorry, the rollover policy was implemented to control the population growth on the island – but isn't this still link to the number of job vancancies for Caymanians????
Sandra makes PPM and UDP into an embarrassment
You need 10 more like her.
You only need 10 more of her if there are more investors supplying more jobs. Investing here is not attractive currently due to property taxes, business ownership laws etc..as long as that is not sorted, very few employing investors will come in and the domestic unemployment issue will not be sorted.
Then why do we have many on work permits? This is not a question of the jobs not being here. Thank you Sandra! Your efforts are appreciated. Despite not running for office you continue to make a difference in the lives of so many people. You have helped my family over the years and I appreciate it. I only wish every business person in Cayman would give back like you have. The free classes were great – when will you have those again?
True, but if there is a shortage of jobs, there shouldn't be 23,000 work permits either…..
Property taxes? Did I miss something?
19.18- stamp duty on property purchase 7.5%-kills the market for all but the super rich
I hate myself for investing over 1400000 in cayman and 8 years of my life I love the people But the people that run cayman suck and are a bunch of self serving asshoxxx that dont know anything about anything I would fire almost all of them. What a nightmare i am in. I must be retarted for reading that stupid resident magazine and believing any of it and how foolish was i to think that they would not change all of the rules after i moved in And the person that has that data base of 6000 it must be facebook friends and i am sure she bbm's all day Ever try to hire anyone for a non professional job good luck the reason they are unemployed is because they are worthless that dosnt mean i dont love them but i know worthless when i see it.
This is a very disturbing statement about Cayman natives. Why not help and stop critising the wrongs/incompetency you come across – there are solutions to these problems. You seem to be one that came here looking for a bigger pot of gold, and tried your hand on employing cheap labour. If you found that your 1400000 for the past 8 years did not profit you, common sense is that you should have packed and return, or find some other island in the Caribbean that would have given you a larger opportunity, believe me it would not be so easy. Your time there would be shorter than your 8 years in Cayman, and you would consider yourself more retarded in your move.
The Activist that is making the effort to have a log of unemployed persons in the Cayman Islands is worth the time and effort, and would give us peace of mind and satisfaction in helipng our caymanians regain their place in their own country, that no one falls by the way side like it is happening presently.