Howard Campbell, Gleaner WriterFOR MANY years, students from the Eastern Caribbean have settled in Jamaica once they graduated from the University of the West Indies' Mona campus. With the CARICOM Single Market finally getting off the ground in January, their Jamaican counterparts may be doing some island hopping for jobs.
Three Mona graduates with whom The Sunday Gleaner spoke say with the passage to the 'islands' expected to be easier come next month, they will definitely be looking in that direction for work.
"If my research finds that it is viable in terms of financial resources and a better way of life, I'll go, because of my inability to access those things here," says 22-year-old Rushalee Mitchell, who graduated from the University of the West Indies (UWI) in 2004 with a degree in sociology and political science.
Ms. Mitchell, who is currently pursuing a master's degree in sociology, told The Sunday Gleaner that opportunities to land a job in her field in Jamaica were limited.
She says this is extremely frustrating: "As a UWI graduate, one would expect that your condition would significantly improve, but that's not the case."
She added that colleagues from the UWI had shown the same level of frustration at not being able to find suitable jobs in Jamaica.
Jason Samuels, 25, graduated in 2001 with a degree in management studies and international relations.
He is eyeing Trinidad and Tobago to make a mark. Like Ms. Mitchell, he has found it hard to survive in Jamaica's tough economy.
BETTER OPPORTUNITIES
"I'm thinking of Trinidad because there seems to be better opportunities there. The opportunities I expected as a UWI student are just not here," he said.
After graduating from the UWI, Mr. Nelson says he did 'menial' work at a bank in Kingston, and has yet to find a job that suits his qualifications.
Currently, he works as a probation officer.
Roderick Reid, another 25-year-old probation officer, holds a degree in mass communications from the Caribbean Institute of Media Communications.
With training as a probation officer from the Carl Rattray Staff College in St. Ann's Bay, he is optimistic that he will find work in Barbados where the job reportedly pays more than in Jamaica.
"I have friends who worked there and they say the pay is much better than here," he told The Sunday Gleaner.
If he does settle in Barbados, Mr. Reid says he plans to read for a law degree.
