By Fay Simmons

Tribune Business Reporter

jsimmons@tribunemedia.net

A Cabinet minister yesterday asserted that government training and skills initiatives are helping to close the ‘skills gap’ in the workforce and reduce unemployment across The Bahamas.

Pia Glover-Rolle, minister of labour and the public service, told Tribune Business that - while a lack of employable skills is preventing some Bahamians from securing meaningful work - the Government’s focus on training and productivity is seeking to remove these barriers and open doors to long-term careers.

Highlighting the direct connection between workforce development and job creation, she said that by improving skills the Government aims to reduce unemployment while increasing productivity, creating benefits for both workers and the private sector. 

“It's well documented that there is a skills gap preventing certain groupings from being gainfully employed. Our emphasis on training and productivity removes that barrier, allowing Bahamians to learn new skills and not just contribute meaningfully on their jobs, but also launch lifelong careers,” said Mrs Glover-Rolle.

“That is the goal. To expand opportunities at every level for every citizen. And as we upskill our citizens and connect them to opportunities, unemployment naturally goes down and productivity goes up, which is great for employees and employers.”

Mrs Glover-Rolle pointed to a series of government programmes designed to expand skills and create opportunities, including the National Apprenticeship Programme and Upskill Bahamas. She said these initiatives are crucial for driving national development and economic growth.

“From year one, we have expanded access to training opportunities. Beginning with the revamped PS-PEP 52-week programme all the way to the expansion of BTVI, the launch of the first-ever National Apprenticeship Programme, the first ever Creative and Performing Arts School, and Digilearn and Upskill, which both cover the full range of requisite digital skills that employers are looking for,” said Mrs Glover-Rolle.

“These initiatives, along with the National Productivity Task Force, are absolutely necessary for national development and economic growth.” The Davis administration said yesterday that Upskill Bahamas, the Government’s new online learning initiative, has already attracted more than 5,000 participants just ten days after its launch.

The programme provides free access to courses and certifications aimed at equipping citizens with skills that match employer needs - from digital marketing and artificial intelligence (AI) to business finance.

“Upskill Bahamas is an innovative online initiative designed to provide Bahamians with valuable opportunities for skill development. Upskill offers a range of courses aimed at enhancing employability, supporting career advancement and assisting entrepreneurs in starting or expanding their businesses,” the Government said.

“With free access to top-notch online courses, Bahamians can now earn certifications in the skills valued most by our local employers.”  The number of jobless Bahamians fell by almost 3,500 during the 2025 second quarter, producing a 1.5 percentage point fall in the national unemployment rate to 9.3 percent for the three months to end-June 2025, as opposed to 10.8 percent during the previous quarter.

The Bahamas National Statistical Institute (BNSI), in the preliminary results for its 2025 second quarter labour force survey, wrote: “Unemployment declined in the second quarter of 2025, with the number of unemployed persons falling to 22,470, a reduction of 3,455 persons relative to the previous quarter

“The number of unemployed males declined to 10,690 from 12,630 in the previous quarter, while female unemployment also decreased, falling to 11,780 in the second quarter from 13,295 in the first quarter. The unemployment rate for the second quarter of 2025 was 9.3 percent, representing a decline of 1.5 percentage points from 10.8 percent in the first quarter of 2025. The unemployment rate for males and females each declined by 1.6 and 1.3 percentage points, respectively. Among youths, the unemployment rate stood at 20.3 percent, a decrease of 0.6 percentage points compared to the first quarter of 2025.”

The BNSI, in its 2025 second quarter labour force report, said discouraged workers - representing persons who have given up looking for work because they believe they are unable to find it - had fallen by 64 percent quarter-on-quarter to 2,270. The report added: “In the second quarter 2025, April to June, there were 218,620 employed persons, representing an increase of 3,895 persons compared to the first quarter 2025.”

As for the employed labour force, the report said: “The employed labour force for the second quarter of 2025 was 218,620 persons, representing an increase compared to the first quarter of 2025. The largest increase by an occupational group was recorded in the ‘elementary occupations, where 6,980 persons were employed, a 25 percent increase over the previous quarter, driven primarily by male employment.“