BT MLA launches jobs drive
(CNS): Concerned about the number of college students returning home from university who, despite their qualifications, are not getting a foot into the door of the workforce, PPM Backbencher and Bodden Town representative Al Suckoo has launched an initiative to directly assist young Caymanians to find suitable jobs. Based on the many representations to him from college graduates, he believes that many are being denied work because they have no experience. Suckoo, who experienced the same thing himself in the past, said that one of the reasons he went into politics was because of the concerns he had about too many young people cast aside by employers and not given that opening chance.
Promising to lobby Cabinet and harass immigration until things change and there is a level playing field, Suckoo said he wants his young constituents who can’t find work to call or email him directly to book an appointment at the MLA’s office in Bodden Town and get the ball rolling on their future careers.
“I am taking the initiative to meet with our students and assist them because of the growing number of complaints from young people stating that they are not being given entry level opportunities when they make applications,” he told CNS. “A large number are unable to get interviews and when they do attend interviews they are told they have no experience.”
Suckoo said no one could convince him that this is a myth as he too has experienced it, despite his own credentials.
“I made representations to the previous government and pleaded with them to address it,” he said. “Many of our young people feel they have no representation within government and many point to the events of years gone by as evidence that they were not considered a vital part of our society. We cannot have the future of this country starting off their lives feeling as if they are not a key ingredient for a safe, prosperous and united Cayman Islands.”
Suckoo said government has a responsibility to the young people who have fulfilled their end of the bargain, received their qualifications and returned home to contribute positively to society.
“We have to ensure that our young people are able to transition to the labour force and I will continue tolobby Cabinet and harass the Immigration and labour boards and departments until the situation changes.”
Appointed as chair of a task force to review the new National Workforce Development Agency, Suckoo said that review is now in the final stages of examining the operations and policies of the agency and he said it will be presenting its recommendations to the government within a few weeks.
“The objective of the task force is to ensure that NWDA is able to fulfill its mandate as a workforce development agency and to ensure that the mandate given to the agency is realistic and achievable. I am confident, however, that the end result will be very positive and will assist in reducing the level of unemployment among Caymanians.”
He explained that with this jobs drive he will help graduates become clients of the NWDA but above all press government where necessary to remove some of the obstacles that these young people face.
Meanwhile, North Side MLA Ezzard Miller, who held a jobs drive at the end of last year to place some of his constituents in the posts held by workers holding term limit exemption permits, said that some had managed to find work but not all.
He told CNS that he will be organising a door to door assessment of his constituents' employment needs and will press employers holding permits to take on local people.
Pointing to one particular employer in his district, he said he was very concerned that the HR manager gave glowing reviews about how well several young North Siders interviewed but not one was given a job because the employer claimed to have no vacancies when they held at least eight work permits.
“This is unlawful,” he said, as he too made a commitment to ensure employers consider local workersfor any existing post held by a work permit holder.
Miller said that this was one of the reasons why business staffing plans should be public so that local workers can see where permits are held and they can ensure they have the right experience and qualifications for the jobs that they would like to try out for.
The independent MLA also called on government to reveal the results of the job drive efforts and partnerships with the private sector, such as CITA and local recruitment agencies, that surrounded the immigration reforms last year as he asked what happened and how many unemployed Caymanians got work as a result.
To contact Al Suckoo for assistance finding work, college and university leavers are asked to call him on 943-7652, email: alvas@ppm.ky or stop by the BT PPM MLA office at 8 Homestead Crescent (Behind Wendy’s Savannah).
North Siders seeking work can contact Ezzard Miller during his office hours at the district's civic centre or email him at nsmla@candw.ky.
Category: Politics
The level of discrimination against locals is very concerning. However, I am not very hopeful that Alva Suckoo will be able to make a dent in this problem as it has become institutionalized.
I think we should start by showing to all the Advantages of Hiring Caymanians instead of Work Permit holders…
If employers see where the advantage is they may hire more locals..
The world is full of unemployed or underemployed graduates. Get over it. Evidence is that people who enter a job market during a recession make more money over their careers than those that enter during a boomtime.
Indeed, Spain-highest youth unemployment anywhere, Italy, Portugal UK not far behind, and eastern europe a tragedy, you will find graduates cleaning apartments for a living at this time. In Cayman? No, they all need to be Managing Directors, nothing less. Reality check needed.
That would be because they are the top competitors in a tough environment. Duh.
The point is that we as graduates are bound to the island if we take a government scholarship and if I cannot get a job in my own country why would I bother coming back? If getting a more educated workforce is the main objective of the government, we graduates need to have opportunities to come back to.
Let’s see how well he does with this. Whatever happened to Ezzard Millers quest to find Caymanian replacements for the TLEP Holders? That just fell of the map with absolutely no update on his progress. The same will happen here. If people want to find jobs they need to go out and do whatever it takes to get them which includes actually looking, getting an education, having good work ethics and interviewing skills and maybe starting from the bottom to get some work experience. Finding entry level jobs is hard all over the world now.
If you want to get noticed you have to stand out from the crowd.
Well hopefully he'll get a better response than the recruiter who recenlty offered their services. Seems a lot of the unemployed are too busy to actually look for work.
Too many people are returning home with college degrees and NO work experience. We rarely see high school students working at Burger King or running the cash register at the supermarkets on the weekends and school holidays. This is the starting point where students can network and get their feet in the door. The local work ethic is horrible and there would be very little need to bring in so much foreign labor if locals started working at a younger age and at the lowest rung on the ladder to work their way up. Remember how young our seamen were when they first went to sea?
Why would a local restaurant take a risk on a kid they have to pay pension and health for when they can hire an experienced and degreed expat with an armload of excellent references on a permit for that position, whenever they want?
A university degree means nothing. What people need are skills.
I too would like to see Alva Suckoo get somewhere with this, but I was not born yesterday, and have lived in this Town for many years just to hear politicians the a now make excuses, tell lies, and do absolutely nothing to assist people with getting jobs and other help for survival in this dstrit of Bodde Town.. In fact most of them have hindered progress.
. So Al, I wish you the best of luck; and I believe that given the opportunity you will do your best. Just do not be a extension cord to anyone.
As for Mr Ezzard Miller, He is definately, an has always been in the drive seat to help his people. in fact we need twenty more like him.
Without experience, you cannot get a job.
Without ajob, you cannot get experience.
This is a universal problem around the world for all young professionals. Get used to it. Most of us managed to push through this barrier to successfully move on.
And, by the way, check to see if the young person received their degrees from universities that are accredited. It makes a big difference.
Yes, I agree and parents must do a better job of choices. I am a practicing Christian, but do not be duped into sending your child to a religious university and expect them to compete for global jobs. When it comes to university, choose a community college to improve grades first, but do not choose a southern USA christian college and expect a white collar job offer. Choose instead to fit the youth's career path…
and scholarships should reflect this too. Accreditation is key.
Even with experience and qualifications you cannot get jobs. Even if you get an interview. They already have their friend or biases that work against you. And I have yet to hear of immigration assisting in any way.
It is the law of unintended consequences. The very laws put in place to protect Caymanians works against them. A permit buys loyalty and expatriates are the least trouble, they fear for their jobs and will do almost anyhthing to keep it. If they are treated unfairly employers know they will keep silent.
I DONT THINK THAT aL HAS ANY SINCERE CONCERN for the unemployed Caymanian, or he would have stuck to word in not voting on the new Immigration law. He has'nt seen nothing yet. It is still early. The young Caymanians on their return from studying abroad will not get any jobs as they will have to compete with the new Caymanians that they will inherit through the new Immigration law. Especially7 since the professionals according to Alden will be the ones to qualify for Residence. What a mess…..
So Ezzard wants government to publish the results of their job drive, so why doesn't he publish HIS results? How many people did you place in a job Ezzard, how many are still looking?
If these politicians want to make a difference, then they need only look at their own civil service, and ask why those jobs are not advertised and under scrutiny from Immigration the way private sector jobs are. Where are those Business Staffing Plans, does government even have them? Make those records public for all to see, not just the private sector.
Business Staffing Plans are simply a rubber stamp work permit approval method for every bank and law firm on island. The BSP is a fast track to PR and was a worse idea than even the rollover! Immigration act like sheep for whitel collar companies and Chamber cronies – shame on any member who sits on the work permit and business staffing boards.
If I hire a Caymanian with the basic skills to do the job, then I grow and train them in the specifics and propriatary parts of my business, how will I keep them from becoming my competition after my investment? Caymans "no compete" lows are weak at best. I want assurance that the things I share and teach this person will not be used as competition against me for a period of no less than 2 years. In my opinion this is one of the core issues small businesses face, and it must be addressed to have any hope of fixing the employment problem for the Caymanian employers and unemployed. 0.02
You have a good point, if you hire a Caymanian as a trainee, once they get experience and skills you can best believe he will be leaving for more pay. But that is normal everyone wants to get ahead. We've all done it, and a lot of times realized that a few dollars more wasn't always the best choice, Unfortunately the young generation doesn't always realize that.
This is a point that I've always had the in back of my mind myself. You risk the bread on your table in the long run because there is nothing to stop them, unless you put a clause in their contract saying 'if you leave the company, you can't x with x years'. Some law accounting firms have these types of clauses.
The government MUST activate INWARD INVESTMENT…that will automatically create jobs….
Give incentives to have people invest here…ITS THAT SIMPLE…please get on with it. Really a waste trying to find Caymanians for many of the types of jobs we have here on the islands or even Caymanians who want to work.
INVARD INVESTMENT…simple
May I suggest in the mean time that the Government alsoneed to look into bargaining with the business community where you allow us to employ these graduates with no experience and inreturn the government will decrease the work permit fees (if any) for the person who is in charge of training this new graduate. Its very expensive in an offshore environment to employ non exprience candidates. So to off set our cost, government need to give us some incentive to offset the cost of training a large # of non experience persons.
I'm happy to hear that Alva and Ezzard are taking this seriously. No one else seems to care as they all behave stand-offish and are not sincere when you speak with them.
When it comes to the actually recruitment process, even government managers choose the foreign staff over locals – mostly contract renewals, but it happens with new vacanies too. I've seen it happen as they discussed it in meetings after interviewing candidates. You see, they are only following immigration procedures and never had any intention of hiring a Caymanian in the first place even with good recommendations, qualifications and relevant expeirence.
Why it has to be this way, I don't know. The most unfortunate situation in Cayman is being Caymanian while trying to get somewhere in life.
''why it has to be this way, I don't know''
Have you considered that you don't know because its not actually true?? No employer in their right mind would purposefully employ an equally qualified and experienced expat over a Caymanian – that is just utter nonsense. Expats are more expensive (fees etc.), carry far great risk (returning to their home country) and let’s not get started on the bureaucratic nightmare (cost in many many man hours) they represent getting all the permits through etc.
Are you actually saying that employers are SO prejudiced against Caymanians that they are willing to pay a far higher price not to employ one?? it doesn't make sense and that is why you ''don't know''.
Please note I am talking about professional financial services level jobs here. I have absolutely no idea why there are any non-caymanian skilled workers such as plumbers, carpenters, mechanics etc. here? Young Caymanians should be vocationally trained and should have every skilled job on the island.
LOL. Well I guess you have a lot of crazy expat employers then!
Everyone, includng expats, knows that it is pure nonsense to say that an expat employer would never employ an equally qualified and experienced expat over a Caymanian. It happens all the time. People do things for all sorts of reasons not all of them rational or logical. Personal relationships, cultural similarities, prejudice ('all Caymanians are lazy, unreliable etc'.) the greater ability to control (and perhaps exploit) an expat worker all play a part. I have personally overheard a employer remark that it does not match the expectations of his clients to hear a person with a local accent dealing with them as they would perceive that to be a decline in quality.
Do you people really believe that your powers of persuasion are so great that you can erase from the minds of Caymanians what they have directly witnessed and experienced many times over just by making those declarations?
What do you mean by "you people"????
why do you assume i am an expat?
That would be the only reasonable explanation for such mendacity and stupidity. If you are Caymanian that would be truly loathesome.
Yes. That is what I am saying – prejudice. Whether you choose to believe it or not it is alive and well here, which is why I have to reject your claims and stand by my original post. Because of this prejudice and strong desire to hire their foreign choice, the higher cost to employ them becomes a non-issue.
There has to be a reason for this and I would encourage CIG to have an open and free dialogue with employers to find out the reality I the work place. Only I this way will Caymanbe able to adjust and rectify its schooling and vocational training to match the needs of the work place.
So let's give the NWDA some TEETH if Immigration Dept and Business Staffing Boards are asleep zzzzz or STILL giving favors to cronies. We cannot change decades of "business as usual" with Immigration decsions and toomany people have found loopholes for work permits, period.
We DO have Tara Rivers who sounded great on the radio Friday. Let's give her and the NWDA the POWER they need to cut through the BS. Dr. Tasha has some good ideas, but they need to be enforced not optional.
YES, there are some locals that need vocational training to get them into a job, YES, there are some locals who just don't want a job (**tell me you have no on-the-Dole, baby mammas, or welfare scammers in the USA, UK, or Canada?) but YES we also have some very qualified Caymanians with degrees and overseas expereince even that are being passed over in our own Goverment for 7 year positions without the chance of a local being mentored into that professional job? (sorry, Jamaica seems to be the Civil Service country of choice…)
12:23 you are so right. They interview Caymanians and tell them will be contacted and they never hear a peep from them. Time to do what is done I other parts of the world. Start protesting and blocking their right to enter their offices.
Hey Alva,
Now that you are in Govt, will you look into the 60% of expats in IT instead of locals? You are a science and tech guy so when do our locals get considered for all the civil service posts? (including senior roles) It is hilarious to see our own qualified people with degrees, expereince, and certificates in Tech passed over?!?
Good job reaching out to the private sector, but who is leading the succession planning within CS? There are plenty of jobs that mentoring and online education can certify the already university degreed locals…A job with the CS should not be a 7 year fast track to PR. Work with Tara and the NWDA to streamline succession planning as you champion these young job seekers.
You are clueless 14:13. I am in the private sector and have been trying to recruit IT staff for the last year, both "Junior Tech" and "IT Manager" level jobs. The one junior tech we were able to hire got a better offer and left after 3 months (with a $42k starting salary) and we have yet to find an IT Manager. There is a major shortage of IT personel that are qualified, Caymanian or otherwise. If you are in that field and are looking for work, check the want ads.
Its called the CRAB IN THE BARREL mentality. Unfortunately it is abundant amongst Caymanians and it works like this. You come from a better background than I did, You went to private school while I went to public school. You went to a better University than I did. Your parents live in a better area than I do…. and so on. I must therefore keep you down so that you do not do any better than me. Plain old jealousy is keeping us from progressing.
The ones who are from foreign parents have also adopted this mentality, as well as some of those expatriates who have been here a while.
Point taken about some Government Chief Officers and managers just hiring foreign workers and helping those now employed with Government secure said employement. There are cases that even when a foreign worker within Government is replaced by a Caymanian that some Chief Officers and managers create new posts to employ them and keep them employed. Many of these people have no special qualifications or any great track record in their previous Government post. Oh yeah, and Mr. Manderson says all the while that this natural attrition is at work. My back foot. He too needs to be investigated. Think he asleep at the wheel. ZZZZZZZZ. Wake me up when the last one leaves the room. "Same old same old" – only worse.
The sensible ones will volunteer at one of the many charities on Island while they look for employment. This provides proof of dedication as well as giving them some work place experience to put on their personal information. It is also beneficial to the Islands.
Hahahahahaha. That's a good one. Charity work, for free, you'll be lucky.
Volunteering does not help pay student loans. 90% of university graduates returning to Cayman return home with the debt of a student loan and this includes majority of those who have scholarships. Perhaps you can volunteer your charity and assist them in paying this debt whichwill mostly likely help prevent the future loss of their parents' or a family member's home. What is the point of spending all that money to return home and just work for a charity. They didn't need to go get further education to do that. Might as well as they stayed home. Oh, but then the compliant would be they are typical Caymanian lazy and don't want anything more out of life.
And so the recovery will stutter to another stop with interference in the jobs markets and the forced hire of token locals.
Nice, our young college graduates are now "Token Locals" ? Its people like you that make our young people so angry.
The other problem with such hires is that it they tend to stay put, push for promotions, complain to immigration and generally get in the way of making money.
Oh boy, I wonder how Alden feels about this?!
Good for you Al!
Yes good for you indeed, but please advise the candidates that this will mean …having to show up on time, not spending hours on private cel phone conversations, having to follow orders and direction without feeling you're being insulted, showing a work ethic worthy of the employers trust in you , not taking repeated 'SICK' days because you can't bother go to work…etc.etc.
These rules of course apply to all employees, but even Caymanians have to work by them to keep their jobs from going to a foreigner who will be willing to meet these simple requirements.
You need to advise your Expat friends to:
1. Not sneak around looking for news to carry to the boss about the Caymanians.
2. Actually earn our qualifications and not show up to meetings with some "copy and paste" theory you googled the night before and try to make it work for the situation being discussed.
3. Stop "Treating" and kissing up to certain Govt Officials as soon as your land ont he island so that you can call in favours later on. I swear your kids birthday party guest list reads like a "who is who in Govt".
4. Stop colluding with your friends to undermine and get rid of your Caymanian boss.
5. Learn to respect and appreciate the culture and traditions of the people who now host you and your family.
6. Allow your kids to socialize with ours.
7. Stop promising jobs to your mistress or the guy you are cheating on your husband with.
8. Stop making up lies about other Caymanian managers sexual activities.
9. (Women) Stop having sex with Caymanian men secretly and putting them down when you get together with your friends and spouse.
10. No more cocaine parties in the office late at night.
11. Grow your own weed.
12. Stop blatantly lying to immigration when you answer the question, "did any suitably qualified Caymanians apply for this position"
13. Stop Changing your job title in order to avoid the Reg 6 requirement.
14. (Men) Sexually harassing your female Caymanian employees because you know your boss (also an expat) will cover it up.
15. Stop trying to frustrate Caymanians into resigning.
16. Stop "blacklisting" Caymanians who leave your company in an attempt to prevent them working at any of the companies where your friends work.
I could go on but ……point made.
Just because your paranoid, don't mean they're not after you. – Nirvana
Alden is NATO, "no action, talk only". Time go show your colors and support your own.
MLAs a good idea of tackling the Labour problem is creating "Labour Complaints Boxes" where persons can explain their problems which they may not want to approach face to face. They can write letters with their information about their employer etc. The boxes could be placed on a tri-weekly trial where you will understand the plight of their labour problems, and any other problem that needs to be addressed. I feel that this would be a plus for all MLAs in capturing the ill wills of the mountain of problems that individuals experience. A contact number, Name and signature to the letter or complaint would be in place, and the complaint can be assessed.
These boxes could range from the following:
Pensions
Labour
Immigration
Living conditions
Health Insurance
A committee should be set up to cevaluate these letters and reports made to the department concerned – I can guarantee this would help all MLAs in their evaluations and reports onthe outcome of these boxes placed for the convenience of the constituents.
It this is taken on board – you will receive more information than you ask for!!!
Did you grow up in East Germany and miss the Stasi?
Wait ans see how quickly they will agree to "LabourComplaintsBoxes"". I wait to see it happen.
Oh dear, what a disaster! That idea is just a licence for the disgruntled for nogood reason other than their own laziness or stupidity to create more trouble for the hard working. No need forit, the deck is already well stacked against expats!
Well done Al,
The NWDA is automating job searches with matches and you need to insure ALL jobs go throuugh them not just optional registration.
Kudos to you and Tara for making this a priority…Caymanians are qualified and the expat myth must be busted. We had low unemployment for many years simply becasue we wanted locals in the jobs and this mind-shift needs to return to "just that' and Immigration needs to be accountable if even ONE local is passed over for any job, period.
We need to track the jobs, not the permits. We need TEETH like we used have to with the private sector, and the recent scandals continue in the Civil Service while expereinced and university degreed locals seems to be passed over for global candidates?
This is not expat bashing. The law works if we work the law…if there is truly no local talent then hire from overseas, but sadly this has been twisted in preferrng to hire frm overseas and that is just sad and wrong. Shame on you HR Managers!!!
The availability of entry level positions is rather the point I think. It sounds like there are, in reality, relatively few. In order to address this, the govt needs to encourage employers to invest more in their workforce for the future. However employers will not take the long-term approach if they lack confidence in the Govt. and its policies.
Yes, employers have plenty of spare money right now.
the mythology of caymanian unemployment continues…..
how about the ppm actually do something to stimulate the economy and that will actually create jons!!!!!!
After you learn how to spell "Jobs" —idiot
So you suggest that the MLA does nothing then ? Leave all of those young people out there with no future and no hope? Sounds to me like you are one of those who are getting FAT off the backs of cheap labour
You clearly don't know the meaning of "mythology".
Cayman does not need any more jobs to be created. 20,000 work permits covering every category of work tells you that. We just need Caymanians in the jobs that are already there.
Way to go Al. If you have to spend all day in Immigration or labour office do it. At least someone is standing up for us. PPM campaigned on getting jobs for Caymanians and they have sure dropped the ball. We are waiting and Election Day 2017 is coming too. We will remember who stood up for us. Another thing, I am sick and tired of all you work permit holders running your mouths when one of our own tries to do something for us. You all need to remember that you are guests on our island- you need to show some respect. Some of you will get your comeuppance one day.
How about doing whatever it takes to insure all Caymanians are well educated and have excellent work ethic..Basiclly make Caymans local workforce second to none..
Let's be clear 16:00….it was the Caymanians and English that made the financial services industry, others have come along and benefit by getting the jobs and promotions.
BUT it was due to Caymanians' friendly, helpful, hardworking ethic (NOT AGGRESSIVE, VIOLENT OR SUPERIOR ATTITUDE) that grew this country into what it is the destruction can easily be traced and majority of corruption, unethical standards started by certain foreign nationals.
Yes some there is a relatively smal number of persons who did not receive proper education, training and some did make criminal choices, but again even when "Caymanian", DO check out their backgrounds….normally not of Caymanian background but mixed.
create more jobs?????
how about the PPM put a moratorium on work permits and end half of governent contracts, then you'll see how quickly Caymanians are given an opportunity.
Sadly our MLAs buy that foolishness too, some even got elected using that rhetoric, YET we have over 20,000 foreign workers here and of course their job security comes first, justification for expats' entitlement to jobs here is given priority.
Put a moratorium on work permits and see how quickly businesses leave the island. Seriously.
"stimulate the economy that will actually create jobs" wake up Bobo there are over 18,000 jobs on work permit for skilled and unskilled positions.
Jobs are here, the questions to be asked are why cant locals get a fair chance for employment? Are locals prepared to do any job to be employed? Are the salaries on offer realistic for locals to survive? Why will businesses not take a chance to employ suitabily experienced and qualified locals? Is it too easy to get a work permit?
Stop giving work permit holders T&B Licenses andCaymanians may be albe to do something to survive. Stop allowing permit holders from waiting on tables, when they already have highly paid jobs. I am not discriminating, but these are the facts. The permit specifically states the job the individual is permitted to hold.
Be prepared to wait on your own table when you go to a restaurant then, because a Caymanian is not going to do it.