Minister of Labour and Social Security  Pearnell Charles Jr. and Minister without Portfolio with Responsibility for Efficiency, Innovation & Digital Transformation in the Office of the Prime Minister, Ambassador Audrey Marks, will lead the roster of speakers who will be featured at the Corporate Consultation on Workforce Alignment for National Development, Profitability and Sustainability at the Terra Nova Hotel in Kingston on July 1, 2026.

Organised by Institute for Workforce Education & Development (IWED), a subsidiary of Manpower & Maintenance Services Limited (MMS), the Consultation will bring together leaders, stakeholders, and experts from various industries to share insights and discuss effective strategies for workforce training and alignment in keeping with their organisational goals and Jamaica’s overall development,” according to Group CEO of MMS, Don Gittens.

 Pearnell Charles, Jr. will deliver the keynote address, while Minister without Portfolio,  Ambassador Audrey Marks, will speak on the importance of having a skilled workforce.

High on the agenda for discussion at the Consultation, according to Gittens, is “the challenge that many organisations face concerning finding skilled and competent workers who can perform efficiently and efficiently in the modern work environment.” He noted that “while there are many employees who are interested in self-development and making meaningful contributions at the workplace and ultimately to the national economy, they lack the training that is intentional, structured, and aligned with real labor market demand. This is what the Consultation hopes to address.”

Organisations participating in the event include HEART /NSTA Trust, the University Council of Jamaica (UCJ), the National Council on Technical and Vocational Education and Training (NCTVET), E-Learning Jamaica, the Jamaica Tertiary Education Commission (JTEC), among others 

Topics for discussion include:

• Corporate Jamaica’s Workforce Challenges.
• Impact of a trained Workforce on Economic Development, Profitability and Sustainability.
• Youth Unemployment and Engagement.
• Learning in the age of Artificial Intelligence (AI). 

The Institute for Workforce Education & Development (IWED) was established in 2005 to train employees to function effectively in the workplace.