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Executive Summary (Tobago Employers Survey)

The Fourth Employers’ Survey, conducted by the National Training Agency (NTA), seeks to provide demand side Labour Market Information.  This includes emerging employment trends, job vacancies which currently exist, job opportunities which may arise in 2006 and key skills required by employees.  These labour trends were identified across 15 economic private sectors, namely, Agriculture and Agribusiness, Wood and Wood Related Products, Chemicals and Non-Metallic Minerals, Assembly Type and Related Industries, Personal Services, Printing, Publishing and Paper Converters, Electricity and Water, Distribution, Transport, Communication and Storage, Finance, Insurance, Real Estate and Business Services, Construction and Accessory Products, Tourism and Hospitality, Energy, Miscellaneous Manufacturing and Textiles, Garments and Headwear.
   
                 

The Survey employed both a quantitative and qualitative approach to data collection.  The sample for the Survey was taken from the National Employers’ Census database.  Tobago based enumerators were responsible for collecting the quantitative data while the NTA staff was responsible for the compilation of qualitative information.  A total of 454 registered establishments were surveyed using a stratified sampling method.

The findings of the Survey are summarized as follows:

  • 137 establishments were large and 317 were small giving a combined total of 454 establishments
  • 42% of the large business establishments were identified as having Individual Proprietorship, while 29% were Private Limited Liability Companies/Locally Registered Companies, and 17% were Partnerships
  • 60% of all businesses were in operation for 10 years and less
  • 59% of businesses were found in the Distribution sector and 17% were found in the Personal Services sector
  • 33% of businesses indicated that they would be undergoing some form of organizational change over the next 12 months, while 23% stated that they were unsure
  • 38% of respondents anticipating organizational change predicted this to be a change in Capital or Physical Infrastructure
  • 14% of large establishments indicated that they had an existing training plan.  74% of these plans were formal in nature and the remaining 26% were ad hoc
  • 54% of all employees worked in the Distribution sector, 14% worked in the Personal Services sector and 13% worked in the Tourism and Hospitality sector
  • 59% of workers in the large businesses were classified as “Manual” while 21% was “Managerial/Professional” and 10% were considered to be “Technical/Skilled”
  • 399 job vacancies were identified.  54% of these vacancies were found in the Distribution sector, 18% in the Tourism and Hospitality sector and 14% in the Personal Services sector
  •  210 job opportunities were recorded for 2006.  62% of these job opportunities were listed in the Distribution sector and 9% in the Personal Services sector
  • 52% of respondents ranked Honesty as the most desired attitudinal skill by employers
  • Work permits were required by businesses in the Distribution and Tourism and Hospitality sectors
                 
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