The Caribbean faces a convergence of powerful megatrends – including digitalisation, AI, climate change, demographic shifts and economic volatility – that are rapidly reshaping labour market needs and increasing the importance of lifelong skills development. At the same time, persistent challenges such as skills shortages and mismatches, unequal access to education and training, limited adult learning opportunities, skilled emigration, and fragmented governance continue to constrain economic resilience and growth.
In this context, a comprehensive regional skills strategy can provide the direction needed to strengthen skills systems and equip Caribbean economies to become more resilient, productive and inclusive in the face of accelerating change.
The OECD and the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) are jointly developing a Skills Strategy for the Caribbean to support stronger, more inclusive and future-ready skills systems across the region. Focusing on the Bahamas, Barbados, Guyana, Jamaica, Suriname, and Trinidad and Tobago, the project will deliver a shared evidence base, identify priority reforms, and provide regionally relevant policy recommendations to improve skills development, skills use and skills system governance, with a particular emphasis on skills data.
The IDB and OECD will organise a public virtual kick-off event to raise awareness of the project, bring together key stakeholders, and communicate its main objectives and activities. The event will convene selected policymakers, experts and other stakeholders from the six Caribbean countries, as well as representatives of relevant international organisations.