Following the inking of a strategic partnership, Project STAR and the Human Resource Management Association of Jamaica (HRMAJ) are collaborating on human capital development programmes for target communities, starting with the design of a Job Readiness Tool for use in the  Economic Transformation component of Project STAR. 

The tool will help STAR’s Economic Transformation Working Group assess and match the skills and interests of community residents to jobs and training opportunities.  

Project STAR Director Saffrey Brown was upbeat about the agreement reached with HRMAJ, saying: “The opportunity to tap into the support of 100 of Jamaica’s top hiring professionals through HRMAJ will put STAR in a pole position to build both hard and soft skills in our youth programmes.”

Echoing Brown’s sentiments, HRMAJ President Lois Walters noted: “Our mission is human capital development, and HRMAJ looks forward to being a part of this socio-cultural revolution, driven by a younger generation but anchored in community.”

As the partnership gets under way, HRMAJ members conducted a ‘Walk and Talk’ through the east downtown Kingston neighbourhoods of Rose Gardens, which, along with, Parade Gardens, are the two neighbourhoods where STAR has begun to implement stakeholder and community engagement activities.

“It’s important for us to understand the demographic, do a needs assessment, so we can customise what we will offer,” explained Melissa Anderson, HRMAJ board director and chair of its membership services committee.

“One of the valuable pieces of information to come out of the ‘Walk and Talk’ was the need residents expressed for assistance with obtaining formal certification for skills they already possess, for example, the Master Builders certificate.”

“Internships, traineeships, job, and coaching opportunities are among the among the services that our hiring managers may be able to assist with,” Anderson added, indicating the additional areas of collaboration that complement the tool.

An associate member of the PSOJ, HRMAJ has a membership of 100 professionals and 50 corporate firms from which it may leverage support in fulfilment of its undertakings in STAR communities.