WILLEMSTAD – Students will have a central voice during next week’s national education and labor market conference organized by the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sports (OWCS), as the government seeks to improve employment opportunities and reduce skills mismatches in Curaçao.
The conference, scheduled for May 13 at the Courtyard by Marriott Curacao, is designed not only to connect schools and employers but also to ensure that students’ experiences, expectations, and perspectives directly shape future policy.
The Ministry says student participation is essential because they are the ones most directly affected by the transition from education into the labor market. Their feedback will serve as an important source of information for policymakers and employers.
A key highlight of the event will be an afternoon ministerial panel featuring ministers from OWCS, SOAW, MEO, and BPD, who will discuss the challenges and opportunities surrounding workforce development from their respective policy areas.
The panel will focus on how ministries can work together to strengthen the transition from school to work and improve long-term employment prospects for young people.
Government officials say the conference reflects a broader strategy to not only improve labor market alignment but also encourage brain gain—creating better opportunities for skilled young people to stay in or return to Curaçao.
The initiative forms part of wider education reforms aimed at modernizing curricula and ensuring that the island’s workforce is better prepared for the demands of a changing economy.