Youth Employment in the BVI
YOUTH EMPLOYMENT IN THE BVI 🇻🇬 According to the BVI Draft National Youth Policy there are plans to adopt a National Youth Employment Policy (2026 -2030), which are plans to address youth employment through strategic pathways from school to the workplace. ✍🏽 One of these strategies is to have apprenticeship and training agreements with local businesses to provide paid internships, and job opp...
YOUTH EMPLOYMENT IN THE BVI 🇻🇬 According to the BVI Draft National Youth Policy there are plans to adopt a National Youth Employment Policy (2026 -2030), which are plans to address youth employment through strategic pathways from school to the workplace. ✍🏽 One of these strategies is to have apprenticeship and training agreements with local businesses to provide paid internships, and job opportunities for returning students and low-skilled youths. ✍🏽 What does this mean, exactly?
From my interpretation, it means that Government will liaise with local businesses (retail outlets, service providers, charter companies, statutory bodies), through its agencies such as the Youth and Sports Department and Labour Department, to assist young people to find meaningful employment within the BVI. ✍🏽 The National Youth Policy has been in the making since the 1990’s, and failure to make it an integral part of the National constitution of the BVI is concerning.
As it stands today, still in draft form, all it represents is a “wish list”. No company, workplace, employer is under obligation to hire young people, particularly those with low skills, to train them under an apprenticeship system. How long can this vital aspect of building the BVI economy through development of its human capital be ignored? ✍🏽 It is the responsibility of elected representatives, policy makers, agency administrators and all in authority to ensure that young people are given a fighting chance in their homeland.
The few that are lifted up in society because of their connections, those who excel academically may be granted opportunities in corporate organisations, the legal or medical fields or the public service. But the others need to earn their bread as well. No one should be left behind. ✍🏽 The RATED program instituted by Government is known for offering jobs to cut roadside bush.
This has been a reported failure because the workers are not paid as they should. Complaints have been in the news about this. Even elected representatives who are supposed to be assisting to make the program successful complain like everyone else, as though they have no influence to make things better. ✍🏽 But until the National Youth Employment Policy is given some teeth, all it is for now, is words that sound good on paper.
Go into any of the major retail outlets, supermarkets, service establishments, charter boat yards/marinas and you will hardly find a young local on the job. These establishments hire mainly expatriate work permit holders who are fast-tracked through the system. ✍🏽 When local youths get caught up in illegal activities that promise them some cash, one should look into whether or not they have ever had a normal job where they can earn a living.
With rapidly rising cost of living expenses, local youths are experiencing hard economic times here in the “Better” Virgin Islands. ✍🏽 We must do better, from the legislative level down to the hiring practices of local businesses. On the other hand, entrepreneurship is a viable alternative.
Young people must learn skills that they can make an honest living from. There’s no shame in hustling, offering legitimate goods and /or services in a free market. Seek the relevant licences, follow the correct procedures and do your thing. Often times, a small “cottage industry” requires very little investment capital.
Learn to manage your money wisely, and in time you can grow from the ground up. ✍🏽 It has been recognized that youth employment/unemployment is a national issue, or even crisis. Our people must come first in the job market. We cannot build a nation while leaving our most important asset, our human resource, on the wayside to beg bread, or fall through the cracks out of desperation.
We must do better, and it starts with a determined Youth Development Policy that is implemented. ✍🏽 As a contributor to the earlier drafting of the National Youth Policy, it would be my pleasure to champion this cause in the House of Assembly, whenever it is necessary to ensure that the youths of the BVI are given better opportunities here at home. #leadershipwithintegrity #focusforward #BVIgeneralelections2027
Primary source: Tortola Community Board (Facebook)