ORANJESTAD, Aruba — Aruba Local Workforce Training must be better aligned with the vacancies employers are trying to fill, according to Hose Figaroa of the Federation of Workers of Aruba.
During an interview with DIARIO, Figaroa highlighted the importance of Plataforma Educacion & Labor, commonly known as PEL, in strengthening the connection between education, vocational preparation and employment.
He argued that giving local workers priority requires more than simply reserving vacancies for them. Young people and job seekers must also receive the knowledge, practical experience and professional skills required for those positions.
PEL Connects Education With Employment
PEL works to improve cooperation among schools, employers and organisations providing workplace training.
Its activities include strengthening internships, improving the transition from education into employment and helping companies develop qualified supervisors for students completing practical placements.
PEL also supports organisations seeking recognition as approved training companies, creating more structured environments in which students can gain workplace experience.
Figaroa said this connection is essential because graduates may struggle to enter the labour market when their education does not correspond with the positions employers need to fill.
Local Priority Requires Proper Preparation
Public discussions frequently include calls for companies to hire Aruban residents before recruiting workers from abroad.
Figaroa said that objective is difficult to achieve when local applicants lack the necessary qualifications, practical skills or interest in the available work.
He attributed part of the problem to years of insufficient coordination between Aruba’s education system and labour-market requirements.
According to Figaroa, local hiring policies must therefore be supported by career guidance, vocational education, internships and professional training connected to genuine vacancies.
Tourism and Services Provide Many Vacancies
Figaroa described Aruba as a small economy with limited diversification and a strong dependence on tourism and service industries.
He said young people should receive realistic information about where employment opportunities are most likely to become available.
The IMF also identifies tourism as Aruba’s main economic driver. Its 2025 assessment found that strong post-pandemic tourism growth increased economic output while tightening the labour market and exposing structural workforce shortages.
This does not mean that every student must pursue the same career. Aruba continues to require professionals in healthcare, education, technology, construction, government, finance and other sectors.
However, Figaroa argued that the number of students trained for each profession should bear some relationship to the island’s expected demand.
Tourism Work Faces Negative Perceptions
Figaroa said tourism and hotel employment have developed an unfairly negative reputation among some residents.
This stigma may discourage young people from considering hospitality careers even when the sector offers stable positions and opportunities for advancement.
He argued that the work itself is not inferior and that some employees earn competitive salaries within the industry.
Hotels and tourism businesses require more than front-desk and restaurant employees. The sector also employs people in management, accounting, information technology, marketing, maintenance, security, human resources, events and logistics.
Career guidance should therefore explain the range of occupations available instead of presenting tourism employment as one limited type of work.
Recent Congress Collected Workplace Feedback
Figaroa said a recent PEL congress was organised to provide information and collect feedback from workplace representatives.
Shop stewards were invited to discuss the difficulties they observe when new employees enter hotels and other businesses without adequate preparation.
According to Figaroa, employers frequently encounter a gap between the skills taught during education and those required in the workplace.
Previous efforts have attempted to improve that connection, but he believes more consistent coordination is necessary.
Practical Training Can Reduce the Skills Gap
Internships and workplace-learning programmes can help students understand professional expectations before completing school.
Participants can gain experience involving punctuality, communication, teamwork, customer service, safety procedures and workplace technology.
Employers also benefit because they can help students develop relevant skills and identify potential future employees.
PEL’s collaboration with HOH Academy provides one example. Hospital professionals completed a train-the-trainer programme allowing them to educate workplace supervisors and strengthen practical placements for students and employees.
Similar partnerships could support training in hotels, restaurants, construction companies, technology businesses and other industries.
Unfilled Positions May Increase Worker Recruitment Abroad
Figaroa warned that employers will continue looking outside Aruba when suitable local candidates are unavailable.
This can create a cycle in which foreign workers are recruited to fill essential vacancies while residents argue that local people were not given sufficient opportunities.
According to Figaroa, the central question is whether local applicants were properly prepared for those positions.
“Local workers cannot easily receive an opportunity when they have not been prepared for it,” he said in the interview.
The statement does not mean employers should automatically reject residents who lack previous experience. Companies can also contribute through entry-level training, apprenticeships and clear career-development programmes.
Aruba Faces Longer-Term Workforce Pressure
Workforce planning is becoming more important as Aruba’s population ages.
An IMF demographic study warned that the island’s working-age population could begin declining during the next decade under several projection scenarios.
The study recommended policies that increase labour-force participation and reduce barriers preventing people from entering suitable employment.
Improved education-to-work pathways could help Aruba make more effective use of its available local talent while reducing persistent skills shortages.
Career Guidance Should Reflect Real Demand
Figaroa said education should prepare students for positions that exist or are expected to become available, rather than concentrating heavily on occupations with very limited local demand.
This requires regularly updated labour-market information showing:
- Which industries are expanding;
- Which occupations face shortages;
- What qualifications employers require;
- Which vocational programmes lead to employment;
- What career progression each sector offers;
- Which skills may become important in future.
Schools, unions, employers and government departments can use this information to improve course offerings and career counselling.
Shared Responsibility for Local Employment
Preparing local workers is not solely the responsibility of schools.
Government must support effective education and labour policies, while businesses must offer meaningful internships, entry-level opportunities and fair working conditions.
Unions can provide information about workplace realities and identify sectors where employees require additional preparation.
Students and job seekers must also participate actively by developing their skills, exploring available careers and completing appropriate training.
The central message behind Aruba Local Workforce Training is that prioritising residents and preparing them for employment must occur together.
Figaroa said Aruba cannot expect local people to fill available vacancies unless its education and training systems equip them for the jobs the economy is actually creating.
