‘Inclusive higher education boosts workforce’

BUSINESSES that champion inclusive access to higher education stand to benefit from a diverse, skilled, and future-ready workforce, one which is better equipped to respond to the complexities of the globalised economy.

Regional President, Caribbean Tertiary Level Personnel Association (CTLPA), Dr Don-Marie Holder shared this view ahead of hosting the 26th CTLPA Regional Conference from Wednesday to Friday at the Divi Southwinds Beach Resort.

The conference theme is Elevating Caribbean Voices In Higher Education, and Holder is inviting business leaders across industries to play a pivotal role in shaping the future of higher education and workforce development in the Caribbean.

Policy, Advocacy, and Partnerships is one of the pillars of the event, which calls for the business community to actively collaborate with educators and policymakers.

Holder said it was in recognition that “sustainable progress in higher education cannot happen in silos, but it requires deliberate engagement, across sectors, to advocate for Caribbean student needs and support frameworks that enable innovation, access, and relevance.”

She noted that regional competitiveness hinges not only on natural resources or infrastructure, but on human capital development, adding that business leaders are positioned to shape the Caribbean’s future workforce by lending their voice, resources, and strategic insight to policy and educational reform.

“Whether it is through corporate scholarship programmes, internships, or curriculum advisory panels, industry has a front-row seat, and a role to play in ensuring that education aligns with evolving business and societal needs,” said the CTLPA regional president.

“We cannot talk about transforming higher education without including those who eventually hire, train, and inspire our graduates.”

She added that private sector-academic partnerships were powerful levers of change. This was because in addition to alleviating students’ financial burdens, they encouraged academicto- industry alignment and foster the skills and mindsets demanded by today’s employers.

“Supporting knowledge sharing and development of Student Services practitioners is an investment in innovation and resilience,” Holder said.

“The region’s brightest minds are in our classrooms today. If we want them to lead our businesses tomorrow, we must support them and by extension, the counsellors, programme assistants, student financing advisors, resident advisors, and the like, that nurture their academic and professional success.”

CTLPA is focused on the professional development of student services personnel across the Caribbean.

Her hope was that business executives, human resource leaders, foundation officers, and corporate social responsibility professionals would participate in the three-day conference, which is expected to include keynote addresses and remarks by officials including Minister of Training and Tertiary Education Sandra Husbands, director of the National Transformation Initiative Dr. Allyson Leacock, and American College Personnel Association representative Dr Leonard Taylor. (SC/PR)

DR DON-MARIE HOLDER, regional president, Caribbean Tertiary Level Personnel Association.

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