THE EDITOR, Sir:
The concept of required previous job experience is perhaps inadvertently wasting the inherent and acquired competence of the Jamaican labour force.
It appears as if there is an assumption that competence, which is void of 'previous experience', cannot efficiently and effectively get the job done.
In the context of employment relations, it is reasonable to suggest that competence is knowing how to do the job, while experience is doing what is known with a level of extended constancy.
The need for previous experience could be considered paradoxical in principle as job experience should be acquired through constant performance of competence.
If virtually all employers need persons with previous job experience, then where will potential employees acquire the much needed experience?
It is somewhat difficult to conceive that the knowledge, skills and abilities which exist in the unemployed labour force are wastefully depleting with age, sickness and ultimately death because there is a shortage of the required 'previous job experience'.
There is a need to review organisational employment policies in order to prevent reject errors and ensure that academically and technically competent persons are employed without the need for previous job experience.
I am, etc.,
CANUTE WHITE
Superpower342002@yahoo.ca
Kingston 11
Via Go-Jamaica
