#TalkUpYout Season 5: Episode 1 Review.

"Talk Up Yout" season five episode one aired on Television Jamaica last night and the first topic tackled was the issue of Brain Drain in Jamaica. Before I get into my thoughts on the first episode, I must say as much as Emprezz is one of my favorite media personalities I'm ok with her not being in front of the camera for this season. I enjoyed the new layout of the show; the panel of young minds and the short debate.

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#AboutTheShow

Throughout the entire episode I was yelling at the panel through the TV. My first issue was that they didn't really stick to the definition of Brain Drain which could be defined as highly trained, educated and professional people with specialization in particular fields migrating to other economies for better pay or living conditions. If we are working with a definition similar to that then the panel some what missed the mark if they were even to educate some one who had no knowledge of what "Brain Drain" is and the impact it has on a country. For example, there was mention of students athletes opting to study abroad due to lack of resources in Jamaica. That in my opinion cannot be considered as a "Brain Drain" issue. I stated on twitter that individuals may decide to attend school abroad for a myriad reasons including wanting to be exposed to a different culture or a particular course of interest isn't being offered in the islands universities. I wanted to add that if a student athlete studies abroad but still competes for his/her country the "Brain Drain" wouldn't be happening in this instance.  

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I needed statistics and more proof that Jamaica has a brain drain problem especially as it relates to degree holders and highly trained professionals leaving the island. For instance what number of Jamaican scientists, doctors or engineers left the island over the past five years. Without those stats even during the debate portion of the show i was left not convinced that Jamaica really has a huge Brain Drain problem. Yes, I agree some of our educated people are leaving but is the country really feeling any impact.

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#MyThoughts‎

I feel that Jamaica loses more skilled workers than university graduates. HEART graduates who are trained in hospitality, food and beverage management and  electrical installation and even construction often opt to go to Canada or even to other Caribbean countries to gain employment especially because the Jamaican market is over saturated with those having the same skills set. Again in this regard I'm not sure if "brain draining" would be taking place because the country has hundreds of workers within the tourism industry and students leaving vocational training institutes quarterly that can replace those that are leaving. Many who are leaving are doing so on a temporary basis as they are not being offered permanent residence in these countries. Personally I have a family member who has been living and working in Grand Cayman as a chef for over ten years she was university trained but still Jamaica has no shortage of chefs.‎

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A friend in Jamaica's shipping industry told me recently that his company is losing several of its crane and strad operators monthly to Canada and Dubai and these operators are not University or community college graduates but they do have a specialized skill. His company is spending more money now on training new operators and being less productive daily due to not having experienced strad and crane operating staff and outsourcing workers that really don't put out the same level of productivity those who left use to. This strengthens my point that the Brain Drain may be taking place in Jamaica but skilled and technically trained workers are the ones that are actually leaving. I also see where Jamaica is losing English teachers to countries like China and Japan but we still have a surplus leaving teachers college so again I'm not sure if losing just a small handful of teachers is really a huge problem that falls under the brain drain banner. 

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#Conclusion 

As the program wrapped with the panelists giving their solutions I found my self agreeing with their points.  Adrian suggested that corporate Jamaica should launch a under study internship program that would assist university students regardless of their address to gain valuable work experience and possibly employment. Another panelist made reference to more graduate recruitment programs being needed on the island and less nepotism and cronyism which I believe is the main reason for college and university graduates not gaining even entry level positions in government agencies and companies. 

"Talk Up Yout" season five episode one was a good start to the new season. Congratulations to Stanley and Empress productions. I can't wait to see what next week's topic will be. 

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