On Friday, October 22nd, the Anguilla Statistics Department presented its findings of the first Anguilla Labour Market Survey (ALMS) which began in April of this year, in order to provide pertinent information to the Ministry of Education. The launch of the survey results was made at an official ceremony held on the parameter of the Statistics Department’s grounds in The Valley.
In introducing the report, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Education and Social Services, Mrs. Bonnie Richardson-Lake, said: “We are pleased to welcome you this morning to share the results of the first Anguilla Labour Market Survey. Hence we can now see the fruits of our Labour.
“The purpose of the Anguilla Labour Market Survey was to provide a comprehensive source of intelligence for the skills challenges which employers in Anguilla face, both within their existing work forces and when recruiting. It provides the levels of investment required for training and development, and the relationship between skills challenges, training activities and business strategies.”
“The main objective of the survey,” she said, “was to effectively contribute to future employment strategies, while producing the necessary information. Very importantly, the results of the survey will inform the Ministry of Education on its required work, and will assist in forward planning. Further, the survey results will be helpful in identifying gaps in the labour market, and in setting national priorities.
She noted that the results report will also assist in determining how students coming out of secondary school should be trained. Besides, it will facilitate information with regard to the course offerings at the Anguilla Community College.
Mrs. Richardson-Lake thanked the team responsible for driving the initiative, including the Chief Statistician, Lori-Rae Alleyne-Franklin; the Education Services Planner, Mrs. Dawn Reid; and the TVET Coordinator, Mr. Feliciano James. She also expressed her gratitude to the European Union for their financial and technical support.
Chief Statistician, Lori-Rae Alleyne-Franklin, expressed her pleasure in releasing the results of the first Anguilla Labour Market Survey (ALMS), and observed that it was the first such survey in the OECS region — and perhaps in the wider CARICOM area.
She said that the Anguilla Statistics Department had realized the need for data relative to the labour market: “We have heard the call for data on recruitment, vacancy shortages, skills shortages, skills challenges, up-skilling and training,” she said. “The ALMS has been designed to provide you with data to meet these needs.
“Technical and Vocational Education Training planners, managers, practitioners in various industries in Anguilla, wholesalers and retailers, healthcare practitioners, legal professionals, personnel in agriculture and fisheries, hoteliers and restaurateurs, among others, your continuous call for data has been heard…”
She said that the Education Planning Unit needed this data, and the Anguilla Statistics Department exercised its skills to conduct the survey and eventually deliver such pertinent information.
In commending the agents that made the survey possible, Mrs. Alleyne-Franklin, said: “We owe a debt of gratitude to the funding agency and, in particular, the consultants, Oguzhan Akyildirim, a native of Turkey, and Maja Jukic of Croatia who, for the most part, worked with us and understood our needs and our contextual particularities. They helped us to ensure that the project was executed in the timely framework outlined.
“The consultancy also delivered on another component which required the costing and design of adapted methodologies for other surveys, such as the Labour Force Survey, School-to-Work Transition Survey, Employment Skills Survey, and Labour Cost Survey, all of which provide data on labour needs.
“The continuous demand for this data will create the impetus for the Government of Anguilla to institutionalise these surveys and deliver the key labour market indicators more frequently, as suggested internationally.”
Mrs. Alleyne-Franklin hinted: “Going forward, initially, the ALMS will be conducted every two years with the hope of annualizing in the near future.
“I take this opportunity to personally say a heartfelt thank you to all persons and stakeholders involved in the production of this survey. I would particularly like to thank the EU delegate, Mr. Steven Boise; the Chief Projects Officer, Mrs. Anthea Ipinson Connor; the Education Services Planner, Mrs. Dawn Reid; and the Ministry of Economic Development Investment Commerce Information Technology and Natural Resources. Thanks, as well, to the management and staff of the Department of Information Technology and E-Government Services, and all of the respondents.
