2014年-世界发展银行全球_Youth_Unemployment_in_the_Caribbean_24页_1mb

Youth Unemployment in the Caribbean: A Summary

Core Content

This document provides an analysis of youth unemployment in the Caribbean, highlighting its severity, underlying causes, and the broader implications for the region's labor markets and economic development. It is part of the Caribbean Knowledge Series, prepared to support policy dialogue during the Caribbean Growth Forum (CGF), involving multiple international organizations and regional stakeholders.

Main Points

I. Unemployment Levels, Trends, and Patterns

• Regional Impact: The Caribbean region was severely affected by the global financial crisis and natural disasters, leading to zero to negative growth and high unemployment rates.
• Country Variations:
  • The Bahamas, Barbados, St. Lucia, and Belize experienced the most significant increases in unemployment.
  • The Bahamas saw a 73% increase, from 7.9% in 2007 to 13.7% in 2011.
  • Barbados had a 57% increase, from 7.4% in 2007 to 11.6% in 2012.
  • St. Lucia's unemployment rate increased by 47%, from 14% in 2007 to 20.6% in 2012.
  • Dominican Republic and Guyana have maintained persistently high unemployment rates, with Guyana at around 21% since 2007.
  • Trinidad and Tobago had the lowest unemployment rate in 2012 at 4.8%, but this figure masks high youth unemployment.
• Unemployment Duration: A large share of the unemployed in the Caribbean have been without work for more than a year. For example, in Dominica and Grenada, over half of the unemployed have been jobless for over a year.
• Gender Disparities:
  • Female unemployment is generally higher than male unemployment.
  • In Belize, female unemployment was 20% in 2009, three times that of males.
  • In some countries, the gender gap in unemployment has narrowed due to increased male unemployment, not a decrease in female unemployment.
  • The gender gap widens with age, indicating that older women are more affected than younger ones.

II. Youth Unemployment Landscape

• Higher Risk for Youth: Youth unemployment is typically double the total unemployment rate in most Caribbean countries.
• Extreme Cases:
  • Guyana and Grenada have some of the highest youth unemployment rates globally, exceeding 40%.
  • In Barbados, youth unemployment reached 27.6% in 2010, compared to 11.1% for the total population.
  • In Trinidad and Tobago, youth unemployment was 12% in 2012, while the total unemployment rate was 4.8%.
• Teenagers Most Vulnerable:
  • In Barbados, individuals aged 15–19 had a 47% unemployment rate, 5 times higher than the 14% for those aged 20–44.
  • In Belize, 43% of women under 20 were unemployed, compared to 28% of women aged 20–24 and 16% of women aged 25–49.
  • Teenage unemployment is significantly higher than that of older workers, especially in terms of technical and socio-emotional skills.

III. Key Factors Contributing to Youth Unemployment

• Lack of Skills:
  • Education quality is low, and the skills acquired by youth often do not match labor market needs.
  • In the Caribbean, only 21.36% of students passed five or more CSEC exams in 2009, indicating poor educational outcomes.
  • Employers report difficulty in finding skilled youth, with 66% of Grenada employers citing skills shortages in 2008.
  • In The Bahamas, 33.8% of employers cited under-qualification, 28.8% cited lack of experience, and 27.5% cited lack of soft skills.
• Lack of Work Experience:
  • Inexperienced youth are less attractive to employers, who value skills acquired on the job.
  • In St. Kitts and Nevis, one third of the unemployed had no prior work experience.
  • Lack of experience is cited as a major obstacle by employers in filling vacancies.
• Lack of Information:
  • Youth often rely on informal job-searching methods, such as referrals and direct contact with employers.
  • Formal employment services and information systems are underutilized.
  • This limits youth access to relevant job opportunities and makes it difficult for employers to identify suitable candidates.

Key Information

• NEET Phenomenon: Youth not in education, employment, or training (NEET) is a significant issue in the Caribbean, with high rates in Belize and Dominican Republic.
  • In Belize, 27.9% of youth aged 15–24 were NEET, with higher rates among females (38.6%) than males (17%).
  • In Dominican Republic, the NEET rate was 20.9%, with males at 33.3% and females at 26.9%.
• School Enrollment and Education Quality:
  • Secondary education is not universal in the region, with enrollment rates ranging from 83% to 92.6%.
  • Tertiary education enrollment is even lower, with only Grenada and Barbados above 50%.
  • Low school enrollment and poor educational outcomes contribute to a cycle of discouragement and limited labor market opportunities.
• Economic Impacts:
  • Youth unemployment has significant economic costs, including forgone wages and lost productivity.
  • In St. Lucia, the cost of youth unemployment is estimated at 2.46% of GDP.
  • Long-term unemployment among youth reduces future earnings and employment prospects, with effects that can be mitigated by higher education or avoiding adult unemployment.

Policy Considerations

• Skill Mismatch: Addressing the gap between the skills youth possess and those demanded by employers is critical.
• Improving Education Quality: Enhancing educational outcomes and aligning curricula with labor market needs is essential.
• Employment Support: Providing better access to employment information and formal job search mechanisms can help reduce youth unemployment.
• Incentives for Employers: Encouraging employers to invest in training and hiring youth can help break the cycle of unemployment and underemployment.