I would make education produce workers; Not just graduates
If I were the Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago, I would confront a quiet failure that has been dressed up as success for far too long: Trinidad and Tobago is producing graduates faster than it is producing workers. We celebrate certificates, degrees and graduation ceremonies, yet too many of those same graduates step into an economy that has no clear place for them. The result is frustration, underemployment, migration, and, in some cases, drift into the informal or illicit economy.
Education, as it stands, is not broken but misaligned.
We have built a system that rewards academic progression without adequately connecting it to economic demand. Students move from primary school to secondary school to university on a conveyor belt of examinations and credentials, often with little exposure to the realities of the labour market. By the time they emerge, many are qualified on paper but unprepared in practice. Employers complain they cannot find the skills they need, while graduates complain there are no jobs. Both are right, and that contradiction is a policy failure.
So, if I were the Prime Minister, the first step would be to realign the curriculum with the economy, not in theory, but in structure. That means embedding industry relevance at every level of education. As early as secondary school, students should be exposed to pathways that reflect the country’s actual needs: construction, manufacturing, energy services, digital technology, agriculture, logistics, healthcare support, and the creative industries. This is not about limiting ambition; it is about expanding it beyond the narrow definition of success as a university degree.
Technical and vocational education must be elevated, not as a fallback for those who “cannot make it,” but as a respected, viable route to stable and well-paying careers. That requires investment in facilities, modern equipment and instructors who are not just academically qualified but industry-experienced. It also requires a cultural shift. Parents, schools, and policymakers must stop treating trades as second-class options. A certified welder, electrician, or heavy equipment technician is not less successful than a graduate with a degree that has no clear application.
But alignment cannot happen in isolation. It must be built on a partnership with the industry. If I were the Prime Minister, I would establish formal, binding partnerships between educational institutions and key sectors of the economy. Employers must have a direct role in shaping curricula, defining competencies, and providing input on emerging skill needs. This ensures that what is taught in classrooms reflects what is required in workplaces.
At the centre of this reform would be a national apprenticeship system: structured, incentivised, and scalable. Apprenticeships bridge the gap between theory and practice. They allow students to earn while they learn, to gain real-world experience, and to transition seamlessly into employment. Government can support this by offering tax incentives or subsidies to companies that take on apprentices, particularly in sectors where skills shortages are acute.
Work-based learning should not be an optional add-on; it should be a core component of education. Every student, whether pursuing a technical or academic path, should graduate with some form of practical experience: internships, apprenticeships, or industry projects that expose them to workplace expectations. This does more than build skills; it builds confidence and networks, both of which are critical for employment.
There is also a need to rethink how we measure success. Too often, educational outcomes are judged by exam results and graduation rates. While these metrics have value, they do not tell the full story. If I were the Prime Minister, I would introduce performance indicators that track employment outcomes: how many graduates find jobs in their field, how long it takes them to transition into the workforce, and how well their skills match employer needs. Institutions should be held accountable not just for producing graduates but for producing employable ones.
Of course, education reform alone cannot solve employment challenges. It must be accompanied by a broader economic strategy that creates opportunities. But aligning education with industry ensures that when those opportunities arise, the workforce is ready to seize them.
There is also a social dimension that cannot be ignored. When young people feel that the system has failed them, when they do everything they were told to do, only to find themselves unemployed or underemployed, it breeds disillusionment. In some cases, that disillusionment can make alternative paths, including criminal ones, more attractive. A system that produces workers is not just an economic imperative; it is a social stabilizer.
This is not about abandoning higher education. Universities remain critical for research, innovation, and professional development, but they must also adapt, offering programmes that are flexible, interdisciplinary and responsive to changing economic conditions. Degrees must be more than academic exercises; they must be pathways to contribution.
If I were the Prime Minister of Trinidad & Tobago, I would make one principle non-negotiable: education must lead somewhere. It must equip individuals not only with knowledge but also with the ability to apply that knowledge in ways that are productive, meaningful, and economically viable.
Trinidad and Tobago does not lack talent. It lacks alignment. And until we bridge the gap between what we teach and what we need, we will continue to produce graduates who are full of potential but short on opportunity.
That gap is no longer affordable.
