Workforce & Training for a Haitian Renaissance

Jim Lange - CEO HR&DC

HR&DC Work Force and Training Plans

One of the core objectives of HR&DC is to create, implement and manage a variety of construction-centric training and vocational programs throughout Haiti. It is our goal to replace the Haitian people’s history of subservience and acceptance with hope, meaningful work and some form of trade.

Haiti’s WorkForce:

The unemployment rate in Haiti stands somewhere between 50% and 70%.  While this means there significant numbers of people from which to draw upon, here are some significant challenges associated with Haiti’s present work force:

• High illiteracy rate; Over 15 years old = 52% illiterate
• Unstable living conditions
• Limited pool of qualified trades people
• Poor retention rate of educated professionals
• Non-existent training and/or vocational programs
• Non-existent entrepreneurial class
• Poor health of the working population

Training/Vocational:

Most would agree that Haiti’s educational system is problematic, at best.  Of course, in Haiti the social elite has access to well above average schooling, while the same cannot be said for Haiti’s rank and file.  And while educational reform should be a top priority of the country, the focus of HR&DC will be geared specifically toward adult educational needs and enhancement, and less on children.  Many NGO’s are working in Haiti to address the education needs of children. HR&DC has plans within their initiative to assist these NGO’s in their mission to bring better education to the people of Haiti.

Our decision to focus on adult training is simple: to meet and to overcome the very real and substantive challenges found throughout Haiti, adults will need to contribute in a much more significant and repeatable manner.  This is why at HR&DC our focus is on training Haitian adults.

Retention:

When it comes to retaining degreed individuals, Haiti’s retention rate of those with formal education clearly indicates that Haitians who have the option of leaving the country do so.  Since Haiti has a genuine mistrust of foreign nationals, the creation of a national retention program will be a core priority for HR&DC.  In addition to retaining “in country” individuals, HR&DC will institute a worldwide campaign to encourage successful (degreed and/or uniquely qualified) Haitians, who are living abroad, to return to their country.

Training/Vocational: As I stated at the beginning of this post, one of our core objectives of HR&DC is to create, implement and manage a variety of construction-centric training and vocational programs throughout Haiti.  HR&DC plans to develop programs in the areas stated above using programs that have been proven in other emerging countries within the Western Hemisphere.

To further move economic development forward, HR&DC plans to use Haitian-based suppliers whenever possible.  For months, HR&DC has been in discussions with Haitian private companies, foreign companies already doing business in Haiti, and building product manufacturers not yet working in Haiti.

What are your thoughts about training Haiti’s workforce?