Personal Services Quantitative Sector Survey 2014

Transcription

1 NATIONAL TRAINING AGENCY DEPARTMENT OF RESEARCH, PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT Personal Services Quantitative Sector Survey 2014 Hair, Face and Body The National Training Agency (NTA) is the governmental machinery mandated to coordinate, harmonize, standardize, monitor and evaluate all Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) in Trinidad and Tobago. An essential part of this regulation is the agency s frequent collection and maintenance of an up-to-date repository of labour market information as it pertains to training.

2 CONTENTS 2 Tables 2 3 Figures Executive Summary..4 5 Introduction International Perspective Local Perspective Economic Review Contribution to Gross Domestic Product (GDP) Labour Force and Employment Demand for Skilled Persons. 6 7 Methodology Scope Survey Population Sample Size Data Collection Data Entry Limitations of the Study Results Organization s Characteristics Employment Profile Job Vacancies Organizational Changes Job Opportunities Staff Training Employee Traits General Information Analysis Conclusion Bibliography.31 1

3 TABLES TABLE 1 DISTRIBUTION OF SERVICES PROVIDED TABLE 2 EMPLOYMENT PROFILE TABLE 3 DISTRIBUTION OF JOB VACANCIES REPORTED...15 TABLE 4 DISTRIBUTION OF JOB OPPORTUNITIES/DISLOCATION EXPECTED TABLE 5 PROBLEMS WITH CURRENT TRAINING PROVIDERS/INSTITUTIONS TABLE 6 METHODS OF RESOLVING DISSATISFACTION WITH CURRENT TRAINING PROVIDERS/INSTITUTIONS TABLE 7 THE TYPE OF TRAINING PROVIDED FOR STAFF...22 TABLE 8 SUGGESTIONS FOR GOVERNMENT POLICY FORMULATION

4 FIGURES FIGURE 1 NATURE OF BUSINESS.9 FIGURE 2 TYPE OF BUSINESS...11 FIGURE 3 NUMBER OF YEARS IN OPERATION...11 FIGURE 4 DIFFICULTIES SOURCING LABOUR FIGURE 5 JOB VACANCIES REPORTED FIGURE 6 PERCENTAGE OF ESTABLISHMENTS EXPECTING ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGE.. 17 FIGURE 7 TYPES OF ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGES EXPECTED.. 18 FIGURE 8 LEVEL OF SATISFACTION WITH CURRENT TRAINING PROVIDERS/INSTITUTIONS.. 20 FIGURE 9 FREQUENCY OF STAFF TRAINING FIGURE 10 APPRENTICESHIP/INTERNSHIP/MENTORSHIP PROGRAMME DETAILS..24 FIGURE 11 WHERE EMPLOYERS HAVE REPORTED RECRUITING THE BEST STAFF FIGURE 12 THE TOP 5 MOST DESIRED EMPLOYEE TRAITS

5 4) EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The National Training Agency (NTA), is the governmental machinery mandated to coordinate, harmonize, standardize, monitor and evaluate all technical and vocational education and training (TVET) in Trinidad and Tobago. An essential part of this regulation is the Agency s frequent collection and maintenance of an up-to-date repository of labour market information. As such, the NTA conducted a survey of the Personal Services Sector in May Its main focus being business establishments offering cosmetic services for hair, face and body. The survey sought to examine several demand side factors influencing the current labour market conditions. A survey questionnaire was developed in order to capture the relevant information from employers. The main areas of focus included organizational characteristics, employment profile, job vacancies, potential organizational changes, training needs and also suggestions for government policy formulation. A sample of 50 employers was pulled from a population of 278. The data collection process was completed over a period of 30 days. The data collected was analyzed and the results are reported with this document. The data analysis revealed the existence of many difficulties in sourcing labour by employersmainly due to the lack of required qualifications and poor work ethic portrayed by potential candidates. Most of the employers (76%) indicated their intentions to make organizational changes in the next 12 months. Such areas of change indicated were predominantly capital or physical infrastructure, recruitment, to increase the demand for their services, new training programmes / retraining existing staff, advancements in technology, as well as changes in of management approaches. A total of 27 establishments expressed the need for approximately 40 vacancies ranging from semi-skilled to managerial level workers. The vast majority of these employers stated they had difficulties in finding this labour. The most desired employee traits indicated were punctuality, honesty, willingness to learn and respectfulness. Those identified by employers as lacking from current employees were mainly punctuality and personal appearance. In terms of training, the majority of employers indicated that they were dissatisfied with local training providers and institutions. It was expressed that this was mainly due to the fact that these training programmes failed to instill passion and drive for the profession and also due to a lack of practical training exposure. As such, employers subsequently indicated that they preferred to train their own staff. In terms of suggestions for government policy formulation, the majority of employers expressed deep concerns regarding the current lack of an industry regulatory body, especially as it pertains to best practice, health and sanitation codes, as well as recourse for clients in the event of a malpractice. Another issue raised by employers was the need for more training and apprenticeship programmes and the unavailability of financial assistance for the sector. 4

6 5) INTRODUCTION 5.1) International Perspective Personal services for hair, face and body (in a cosmetic context), is a globally thriving industry. These services are provided mainly at hair salons, spas, barber shops and make-up artistry parlors. According to the United States Bureau of Labour Statistics (a division of the United States Department of Labour), the overall employment availability for barbers, hairdressers and cosmetologists is projected to increase by thirteen percent (13%) through the years The Bureau reports that this increase is predicted on the basis of an increasing population and everdiversifying consumer demand. Spas encompass the services of massage therapists, estheticians and nail technicians. All of which, are occupations also expected to grow between the years by 23%, 40% and 16% respectively. This projected growth is anticipated as a result of factors such as the increase in persons becoming more interested in such career paths, advancements in the types of services being offered, increasing overall concern for health and well-being, as well as, the ever-growing human desire to slow the effects of ageing. The expansion of the international personal service sector in this regard, will necessitate a constant supply of skilled personnel to the industry and will subsequently require greater availability and development of training programmes and providers. These global changes will impact the standard of services demanded locally, and will undoubtedly warrant the ongoing monitoring of the quality and content of training programmes in the face of evolving consumer demand. 5.2) Local perspective According to the Ministry of Education s Dictionary of Occupations for Trinidad and Tobago (DOTT), the local personal services sector of the economy mainly consists of workers who perform various personal services such as cutting, styling and treating hair and apply cosmetics and make-up to assist individuals in improving their appearance. Estheticians, Electrologists, Hairdressers / Hairstylists, Barbers, Make-up Artists, as well as, manicurists/pedicurists, are the existing main occupations of relevance within the sector, as identified by the DOTT. However, advancements in technology and changing trends in consumer demand may soon expand the sector s occupational profile. The Government of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago in its Prosperity for all (2010) manifesto, has identified both Economic Transformation as well as Education and Human Development as two key areas of national focus. Government s vision to embark on curriculum reform to address the needs of 21st century development and the labour market needs of the society, has allowed for greater diversification of the personal services sector. As such, several state agencies and partners operating under the Ministry of Tertiary Education and Skills Training, currently provide skills training free of cost to citizens. These include the Youth Training and Employment Partnership Programme (YTEPP), YTEPP Retraining Programme and The University of the West Indies Open Campus. The Ministry has also set up multiple Workforce Assessment Centers (WAC s) across the country. These centers offer skills assessment and certification to persons with prior learning and experience in personal services of this nature, and also assist persons in identifying any areas in which further training may be required. The aim of this initiative is to further advance, develop and diversify the sector. The addition of more skilled persons to the industry will allow more vacancies to be filled. These developments may provide considerable incentive for persons desiring to enter the industry. 5

7 6) ECONOMIC REVIEW This economic review is largely shaped by information obtained from the Ministry of Finance and The Economy, namely the Review of the Economy 2013 Sustaining Growth, Securing Prosperity. 6.1) Personal Services and Gross Domestic Product (GDP) For 2013, there was an increase in GDP for Trinidad and Tobago of 1.6%. This was reportedly due to an expansion of the non-petroleum sector by 2.5% as well as a positive but flat growth of 0.5% in the petroleum sector. It was reported that the non-petroleum sector (of which the personal services sub sector is a part), recorded positive growth for a second consecutive year, accelerating from 1.9 percent in 2012, to 2.5 percent in This momentum should increase the sector s contribution to overall GDP to 60.2 percent (its largest share since 2005), from 59.7 percent in An important point to note is that the Services Sector, which houses the Personal Services Sub-Sector of the Economy, forecasted growth of 2.6% in ) Labour Force and Employment Trinidad and Tobago s Unemployment rate decreased from 5.4% in the second quarter of fiscal year 2012 to 4.9% in the third quarter of fiscal year This signified a decline of 3,300 persons from 33,800 to 30,500 experiencing unemployment previously. Unemployment within the Personal Services Sector was reported to be lower than the national 4.9% average, being at 4.8%. The number of persons employed in Trinidad and Tobago stood at 596,800 persons in the third quarter of fiscal 2012, increasing from 589,600 persons in the previous quarter. The Ministry of Finance and The Economy further reports that that the total amount of persons comprising the country s workforce increased from 623,500 to 627,300 during the third quarter of the year This was due to the fact that during the this period, employment levels across all sectors of the economy expanded. It should be noted that Community, Social and Personal Services recorded the addition of 6,800 new persons to the workforce. This overall economic growth of the services industry, as well as the addition of new persons to the workforce within the personal services sector, denotes favorable prospective for continued expansion of the sector. 6.3) Demand For Skilled Persons Personal Services for hair, face and body, is an industry comprised of over 220 establishments in Trinidad and Tobago. The industry includes businesses such as barber shops, hair salons, make-up artistry parlours and spas. The industry is fueled by persons of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) and as the sector continues to grow, demand for skilled persons is expected to increase. 6

8 7) METHODOLOGY The survey was administered via the use of a quantitative instrument (questionnaire), which contained both open and close ended questions. 7.1) Scope This study was conducted on the island of Trinidad only and sought to collect data from owners of barber shops, hair salons, make-up artistry parlours and spas. The study was designed to capture data from these respondents on matters related to current labour market conditions within the sector. 7.2) Survey Population The primary list of stakeholders for this sector survey was obtained from the Central Statistical Office s Register of Local Business Establishments. This list comprised 220 businesses. Additions to this list were made by scanning the Trinidad and Tobago Business Telephone Directory. 7.3) Sample Size A sample of 41 business establishments was extracted from the cleaned stakeholder list via simple random sampling. The sample size represented 41% of the population. The sample was divided as follows: NATURE OF BUSINESS NUMBER OF ESTABLISHMENTS Hair Salon 7 Barber Shop 10 Spa 8 Make-Up Artistry Parlour 4 Training Institution / Service Provider 12 TOTAL : 41 7

9 7.4) Data Collection A questionnaire was used as the data collection instrument, and it contained both open and closed ended questions. This instrument contained 22 questions distributed across 8 sections: Organization s Characteristics, Employment Profile, Job Vacancies, Organization Changes, Job Opportunities / Job Dislocation, Staff Training, Employee Traits and General Information. Pilot testing was done prior to questionnaire administration in order to ensure the highest level of accuracy, efficiency and industry relevance. The data collection was done over a period of 30 days. Owners and Managers of the businesses were contacted in order to request participation in the survey and to set up a date / time to have the questionnaire administered. Once appointments were confirmed, formal letters of request were sent to these participants via . A confirmation call was also made to participants prior to the appointment time, in order to confirm participation. The administration of questionnaires was done by Research Assistants, under guidance of Research Officers. 7.5) Data Entry Data entry commenced on the day of the first questionnaire administration. The actual data entry phase was conducted simultaneously with the data collection phase. Each administered questionnaire was cleaned after returning from the field and entered into the database in order to achieve effective time management. 7.6) Limitations of the Study All efforts were made to secure the validity of this study, however the NTA has made note of two constraints in the research process. One of them being the reluctance of some employers to participate in the survey due to them misunderstanding the purpose of the study and the other being participants unwillingness to disclose certain pieces of sensitive information such as employee profiles and salary ranges. 8

10 8) RESULTS The study was conducted with 41 participants. The data was collected and analyzed. The results are recorded in this section. 8.1) ORGANIZATION S CHARACTERISTICS Employers were asked about the type of business they operated. The majority of businesses were classified as barber shop (24%), Spa (20%) and service provider/training institution (29%). Salons and Make-Up artistry businesses comprised the minority of respondents and accounted for 14% and 10% respectively. See Figure 1. Respondents were then asked to list the type of services that they provide at these businesses. The distribution of these services as reported, is outlined in the table below: 9

11 TABLE 1 DISTRIBUTION OF SERVICES PROVIDED SERVICE OFFERED NUMBER OF BUSINESSES OFFERING SERVICE Make-Up Application 15 Facials 18 Chemical Peels 1 Laser Treatments 2 Waxing/Hair Removal 12 Shaving 10 Marking 10 Electrolysis 2 Body Treatments 10 Massage Manicures / Pedicures 5 21 Women s Hair Cuts 14 Men s Haircuts and Styling 10 Hair Styling and Treatments 7 Employers were prompted to classify their business structure from among sole trader/individual proprietorship, public limited liability company, private limited liability company, international franchise and other. Of these types, the majority of respondents indicated that their business structure was that of sole trader/individual proprietorship (66%). The other dominant business structure indicated was private limited liability company. Only 2% indicated that their establishment was an international branch / franchise. These findings are illustrated in Figure 2 below: 10

12 Data was collected regarding the number of years the businesses surveyed have been in operation. It was revealed that the most common interval indicated by respondents was between 1-10 years. This accounted for 49% of respondents. The second largest interval was years in operation, which accounted for 20% of the sample. Businesses ranging from 21 to over 30 years in operation did not exceed 15%. The smallest interval was that representative of businesses that have been in operation for less than one year. This accounted for 5% of the sample. See Figure 3. 11

13 8.2) EMPLOYMENT PROFILE Table 2 lists the occupations currently held in the sampled companies/businesses. A total of 176 employees were found to be employed at 30 establishments with the following job titles. See Table 2: TABLE 2- EMPLOYMENT PROFILE Worker Category Job Titles Salary Range* Full Time Part Time Male Female Male Female Level 1 Nail Assistant A Secretary A Receptionist A-D Office Assistant C Custodian B Spa Attendant B Esthetician A-E Hair Stylist B-E Massage Therapist B-E Makeup Artist B-C Cosmetologist B-C Level 2 Barber A Hairdresser A-C Nail Technician A-C Massage Therapist / C Esthetician Spa Therapist C Level 3 Tutor B Supervisor B Level 4 Esthetician E Level 5 Manager C-G Managing Director Sub total Grand Total *Key to Salary Ranges: Salary Range (TTD) Key 0-$2,500 A $2,501-$4,500 B $4,501-$6,500 C $6,501-$8,500 D 12

14 When employers were questioned as to whether or not they had applied for work permits within the last 12 months, 98% of respondents reported taking no such action. Only 1 business establishment reported applying for this document, but was unwilling to disclose any further details with respect to this. The survey prompted respondents to state the difficulties they may have experienced in sourcing labour. The most frequently identified reasons generalized were Lack of the required qualifications/training and Poor work ethic displayed by potential candidates. This was stated by 29% and 24% of the sample, respectively. A small group of respondents (7%) reported Lack of passion/drive for the profession as a difficulty in sourcing labour. It should be noted that 29% of the sample reported having No difficulties sourcing labour. These findings are depicted in figure 4: 8.3) JOB VACANCIES Employers were asked about the current vacancies within their establishments. Approximately 20 businesses (49%) reported that they had 27 vacancies. The vast majority of these vacancies (approx. 56%) were reported as Level 2 skilled worker positions. Semi-skilled worker positions accounted for 10%, while Technical/Supervisory and Managerial level positions equally accounted 7%. The smallest amount of vacancies were reported at the Graduate/Professional level, at 5%. It should be noted that a large majority (approx. 81%) of these positions were reported by employers as being difficult to fill. The vacancies recorded were reported to have been available for time periods between 1 month and 1 year. 13

15 TABLE 3 DISTRIBUTION OF THE JOB VACANCIES REPORTED Job Title Amount Required Salary Range* Worker Category Level 1 Massage Therapist 5 D Barber 1 - Assistant Aesthetician 1 - General Assistant 1 A Level 2 Esthetician 5 - Hair Stylist 5 - Makeup Artist 3 C Beauty Consultant 1 D Nail Technician 2 B Barber 3 - Hairdresser 2 - Spa Therapist 1 B Level 3 Hair Stylist - B Tutor 1 B Hair Stylist 1 B Level 4 Hair Stylist Esthetician 1 C Level 5 14

16 Spa Coordinator - F Production Manager 1 D Human Resource Manager 1 E *Key to Salary Ranges Salary Range (TTD) Key Salary Range (TTD) Key 0-$2,500 A $8,501-$10,500 E $2,501-$4,500 B $10,501-$12,500 F $4,501-$6,500 C $12,501-$14,500 G $6,501-$8,500 D $14,501-$16,500 H 15

17 8.4) ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGES Most respondents (76%) predicted some sort of organizational change for their businesses in the next 12 months. Ten respondents reported having no such plans. See Figure 6: The Survey revealed three dominant types of predicted change. These were: Capital or Physical Infrastructure (68%), Recruitment (61%), Increase in Demand for Services (61%) and New Training Programmes / Retraining of Existing Staff (61%) These areas were closely followed in popularity by Technology Advancements (55%) and Management Approaches (45%). The less popular changes were Employee Wages (29%) and Employee Displacement (23%). See Figure 7: 16

18 8.5) JOB OPPORTUNITIES / JOB DISLOCATION For the purpose of this survey, the term job opportunity was defined as any type of work or position that may arise in a business establishment, due to organizational change. Job Dislocation was defined as any jobs that may have been removed or downsized, also due to organizational changes. The study revealed a total of 14 job opportunities, which were expected to become available. See Table 4: 17

19 TABLE 4 DISTRIBUTION OF THE JOB OPPORTUNITIES / DISLOCATIONS EXPECTED Worker category Level 2 Job Title Full Time Part Time Proposed Salary Range* Assistant/Administrator - - B Esthetician Hairstylist 3 - D Esthetician - - B Nail technician - - B Makeup Artist 1 - C Beauty Consultant - 1 D Nail Technician Hairdresser 1 - A Hairdressers 2 - A Level 3 Nail Technician 2 - D Spa Services 2 - D Hair Stylist - - C Level 4 Esthetician Total *Key to Salary Ranges Salary Range Key (TTD) 0-$2,500 A $2,501-$4,500 B $4,501-$6,500 C $6,501-$8,500 D 18

20 8.6) STAFF TRAINING Employers were asked to provide feedback on whether or not current training providers / training institutions in Trinidad and Tobago were meeting their needs. Twenty-nine percent of respondents indicated that they were satisfied while 44% were dissatisfied. An additional 27% of employers reported that this question was not applicable to them, due to these establishments having never been exposed to such programme graduates. See Figure 8: The 18 employers indicating dissatisfaction with current training providers / institutions, were further probed in order to ascertain the problems they encountered with these bodies. Their responses are recorded in Table 5: TABLE 5 PROBLEMS ENCOUNTERED WITH CURRENT TRAINING PROVIDERS / INSTITUTIONS (CODED) RESPONSE CODE NUMBER OF RESPONSES PERCENTAGE Providers / Institutions do not provide the proper training 11 61% 19

21 No passion / drive for the profession Lack of practical training / apprenticeship 5 28% 2 11% TOTAL % The vast majority of employers (61%) lamented improper training as their reasons for their dissatisfaction with the current training providers/ institutions. Twenty-eight percent believed that there was a lack of passion / drive for the professions being instilled into trainees. Eleven percent reported that lack of practical training and apprenticeship exposure was the problem. Employers were then asked about the ways in which they dealt with the problem of local training providers / institutions not meeting their needs. The majority of employers (63%) reported that they would Conduct training of staff personally. The less popular methods of dealing with this problem were to Have training done in-house by a foreigner (17%) and to Send staff abroad for training (5%). It should be noted that 27% of respondents declined to answer this question. See Table 6: TABLE 6 METHODS OF RESOLVING DISSATISFACTION WITH CURRENT TRAINING PROVIDERS/ INSTITUTIONS RESPONSE NUMBER OF RESPONSES PERCENTAGE Send Staff abroad for training 2 5% Conduct training of staff personally Have training done In-house by a foreigner 26 63% 7 17% Other 3 7% No Reponse 11 27% 34 employers (83%), reported that training was provided for their staff while 17% indicated making no such provision. The survey probed these 34 employers for information regarding the way in which this training was delivered. Employers were asked to indicate whether training provided was formal, informal or both. Their responses are recorded in Table 7: 20

22 TABLE 7 THE TYPE OF TRAINING PROVIDED FOR STAFF RESPONSE NUMBER OF RESPONSES FORMAL 1 INFORMAL 14 BOTH 19 TOTAL 34 Respondents were then asked to disclose how often this training was provided for their staff. The majority of respondents (70%) reported that training was provided to staff on an As-needed basis, while 15% reported providing training Annually. Five respondents reported having planned training times for their staff and these accounted for 15%. See Figure 9: Of the 34 respondents who reported providing training for their staff, a total of 59% indicated that this training was done In-house. It was noted that no employers reported providing exclusively external training for staff. However, 41% indicated that a combination of both In-house and External training was provided. 21

23 To further capture data on staff training, employers were asked whether they had any kind of apprenticeship, internship or mentorship programme for staff. Forty-six percent of respondents reported that they did, and were further prompted to give details regarding the nature of such programmes. It was revealed that 79% of respondents subscribed to Hiring persons who would receive on-the-job training, while 21% agreed to having in place some Arrangement for a mentorship programme. See Figure 10: Respondents were asked to state where they recruited their best suited-to-the-industry staff. The largest percentage of employers (17%) reported that their best staff were Persons trained by a previous business establishment offering personal services. Others were of the view that such recruits were Persons who were trained by the organization itself and Persons responding to newspaper advertisements who accounted for 15% and 10% respectively. A small group of employers identified YTEPP Limited (7%) and Pivot Point Academy (5%) as locally preferred training providers for staff recruitment. Thirty-nine percent of participants declined to respond to this question. See Figure 11: 22

24 8.7) EMPLOYEE TRAITS Employers were asked to identify the most desirable traits that were required most in employees. 73% reported that Punctuality was the most heavily desired. The other desirable qualities reported were Honesty (63%), Willingness to learn (51%), Respectfulness (49%) and Teamwork (44%). See Figure 12: 44 23

25 Furthermore, the traits identified as most lacking by employers were Punctuality (51%) and Personal Appearance (32%). 8.8) GENERAL INFORMATION Employers were asked what more they believed could be done by government to develop the personal services sector of the economy. This was an open-ended question and employers responses were coded. (See Table 8 below) TABLE 8 WHAT MORE CAN BE DONE BY GOVERNMENT TO DEVELOP THE PERSONAL SERVICES SECTOR RESPONSE CODE NUMBER OF RESPONSES PERCENTAGE Implementation of an industry regulatory body is needed urgently % Increase the amount of training programmes available, and make them more accessible % Apprenticeship programmes are needed to supplement formal training. 4 10% Financial assistance should be provided to persons looking to open these types of businesses. 2 5% Other 4 10% No Response 4 10% TOTAL : % 24

26 Respondents were then asked to provide any additional comments, suggestions and recommendations. The majority of respondents recommended that persons providing personal services should have the proper certification and training before they practice. It was also suggested that there should be greater encouragement for persons who are interested in choosing a career path in personal services and that lack of industry regulation in terms of sanitation and best practice was becoming a problem. 25

27 9) ANALYSIS The study sample contained a proportionate balance of hair salons, barber shops, make-up artistry parlours and spas. A significant number of establishments though, identified themselves as not only being service providers in the sector, but also as training providers. The majority of these respondents did not have NTA training centre approval, but still offered training based on their combinations of certification and/or experience. Most of the surveyed establishments were sole trader organizations and private limited liability companies. When asked about the number of years respondents businesses were in operation, the vast majority indicated being in business for 1-10 years. A fair amount of businesses also reported being in operation for 11 to over 30 years. This implied that there are a considerable amount of new entrants into the sector and that the business of the older organizations have been sustainable over the years. This can be viewed as an indicator of economic viability. Most businesses reported having between one to ten employees and this suggested an average small-business structure for most organizations in the sector. Almost all employers indicated that they have not applied for work permits within the last 12 months. The purpose of this question was to ascertain to what extent the importation of labour was a method considered in dealing with difficulties sourcing labour. As such, the fact that employers generally did not explore this option may suggest faith in the local labour market. Employers were then asked to state any difficulties they may have had in trying to source labour locally. Most employers had issues such as persons lacking the required qualifications and training and also reported that potential candidates displayed poor work ethic when being screened. It is noteworthy though, that 29% of respondents reported having no difficulties in sourcing labour. 31 out of the 41 employers interviewed, reported that they expected organizational changes for their businesses within the next 12 months. The most popular areas of expected change were that of capital or physical infrastructure, recruitment, increase in demand for services, the training or retraining of existing staff, as well as technology advancements. These findings imply that the sector is poised for expansion as larger physical infrastructure may mean more work stations at these businesses, providing a greater amount of services. All other areas of expected change, will have a direct impact on the human resource component in terms of training and development, as new services, new technology and retraining of current staff denotes new job opportunities, new programme development for training providers, as well as better incentive for persons to choose a career path in personal services. 20 out of 41 surveyed establishments reported having job vacancies. These were mainly for level 2 skilled worker positions. The vast majority of these employers reported that these positions were difficult to fill. In addition, almost all employers reported that certification and / or experience was a mandatory requirement for persons seeking to fill these positions. As such, employers were asked to provide feedback on whether or not current training providers/institutions were meeting their needs in terms of making more skilled persons available for hire. While 11 out of 41 establishments reported never being exposed to any graduates from such training providers/institutions, the majority of respondents expressed dissatisfaction with graduates from these bodies. Employers were further probed to provide information regarding why this dissatisfaction existed. 26

28 61% of respondents indicated that their main problem with these training providers/institutions was due to the improper / misaligned training being provided. It was further expressed that these programmes, apart from being incomplete, failed to instill passion and drive for careers within the industry and also lacked sufficient practical training. The majority of respondents (63%) reported addressing the problem of dissatisfaction with local training providers and institutions by conducting training of staff personally. This information serves as critical feedback for these institutions, which highlights the need to review their programme development and administration. 34 out of 41 business establishments reported providing training for their staff. This was mainly a combination of both formal and informal training which employers provided mainly on an ongoing / as needed basis. This training was largely reported as being done in-house. When asked if any sort of apprenticeship, internship or mentorship programme for workers existed in the business, the majority of respondents disagreed. The 46% of employers who indicated having such a programme, mainly reported that this took the form of on-the-job training for new employees. These findings indicate that employers are becoming self-sufficient within the industry and are making their own efforts to bridge the gap between themselves and the job seeking citizen. Perhaps offering these business owners some sort of skill-assessment and training-centre approval may strengthen current development initiatives of training providers / institutions. Furthermore, employers were asked to list where they recruited their best suited to the industry staff. Only 5 employers specified actual training providers Pivot Point Academy of Cosmetology and the Youth Training and Employment Partnership Programme (YTEPP) as being preferred. The vast majority of employers reported that their best staff were persons trained by a previous business establishment and staff that was hired and trained internally. This suggests that greater recognition should be given to prior learning and assessment. These findings indicate that such persons are preferred by the industry and many skilled persons currently operating within the sector have gained success through prior learning and experience. Retraining may prove to be redundant. The most required employee traits in the industry were identified by employers as punctuality, honesty, willingness to learn, respectfulness and teamwork, respectively. Those identified by employers as lacking from potential employees within the sector are that of punctuality and personal appearance. These qualities are advocated and encouraged by providing training in life skills development. This may serve as constructive critique for adjustments to be made to the national life skills development programme curriculum. 10) CONCLUSION Businesses of the personal services sector providing hair, face and body services of a cosmetic nature in Trinidad and Tobago, were found to be an industry with great potential to become a substantial contributor to the nation s GDP. Almost all of the businesses with job vacancies opted to hire and train their own staff. This resolve was chosen over trying to obtain skilled persons from outside Trinidad and Tobago. A large amount of establishments have projected expansion and advancement of their businesses as well as their products and services in the next 12 months. This organizational change will increase the demand for skilled persons. It is of vital importance that more attention and resources be channeled by government into the area of training for the sector, with more consultation done with industry stakeholders who are currently dissatisfied with local training providers and institutions. 27

29 A large amount of employers expressed deep concern for the lack of an industry regulatory body in Trinidad and Tobago. The main areas of concern regarding this issue was the fact that there is currently no publicly perceived distinction between service providers who are trained and qualified, versus those who opened businesses with little credentials. The issue of malpractice and customer recourse was also raised. Industry regulatory bodies in other countries such as the United States, are provided with legislative authority. The absence of this type of regulation in Trinidad and Tobago, according to employers, creates a host of problems in terms of violation of health codes, improper sanitation practices and potential injury to customers. Government intervention is crucial in providing this industry with much-needed regulation. The National Training Agency of Trinidad and Tobago recognizes and advocates the need for stakeholder participation in the development of Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET). This report of the personal services sector has presented the current state of the labour market for hair,face and body cosmetic services, from a demand-side perspective as well as gaps and issues which need to be addressed in order to better develop the sector. 28

30 BIBLIOGRAPHY "Barbers, Hairdressers, and Cosmetologists : Occupational Outlook Handbook: : U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics." U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Web. 6 July Ministry of Finance and the Economy - Web. 6 July Dictionary of Occupations for Trinidad and Tobago. Trinidad & Tobago Ministry of Education, Print. United National Congress. Web. 22 July (2013). Ministry of Finance Content Uploads. [online] Available at: [Accessed 27 Jun. 2014]. National Training Agency Trinidad (Head) Office Mulchan Seuchan Road, Chaguanas Telephone (868) /8 ; Fax (868) : Tobago Office - Tobago Technology Centre, 79 Milford Road, Canaan. Telephone (868) / ; Fax (868) Website: 29