Dionne Rose, Staff Reporter
THE MINISTRY of Labour and Social Security has begun to make inroads in securing low-skilled jobs in Nova Scotia, Canada for Jamaican workers.
Earlier this year, the ministry had employed a new liaison officer to solicit jobs in low-skilled areas such as housekeeping, carpentry and masonry, among others.
This move is part of its thrust to expand and diversify its Overseas Employment Programme in that country.
Currently, the ministry only has a Canadian Farm Work Programme where workers are recruited locally and sent on the programme.
In an earlier interview with The Gleaner, Barrington Bailey, senior director of manpower services in the Ministry of Labour and Social Security, said that there were indications that jobs were available in the low-skilled areas of employment in that country.
Last Friday, he told The Gleaner that the Ministry had received commitment for seven housekeepers and two banqueting staff for Canada.
"We are going through and identifying them as we speak, we want to pick extremely good persons," he said.
Selection of persons for these jobs is being made from persons who were already selected for the United States Hotel programme or J1 workers, who are highly trained, said Mr. Bailey.
"We are thinking of starting with them. They went on an 18-month programme (in the United States) and they were very, very good," he said.
POSITIVE INTERESTS
Mr. Bailey said that the liaison officer had also indicated that he has been receiving positive interests from other employers for carpenters, masons and plumbers for later on this year.
The senior director of Manpower Services said that the ministry had projected to solicit some 300 low-skilled jobs for this year.
"We are still sticking to that although the year is in an advanced state, but if we don't get it, next year we will start early," he said.
Mr. Bailey said that the ministry was committed to expanding the Overseas Employment Programme in that country and as a result, the Minister of Labour and Social Security, Horace Dalley would be leading a delegation to that country early next month.
Jamaica's relationship with the recruitment of workers for Canada began in 1964 with only 150 workers for the Canadian Farm Work Programme.
The programme has grown significantly over the years and now employs more than 5,000 Jamaicans on some 200 farms in the provinces of Ontario, Quebec and Nova Scotia.
